The government has launched a program to assist 50,000 small and marginal farmers in increasing maize cultivation. Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury announced the program, which will provide seeds and fertilizers worth Tk 65 million for free, at a press conference in the ministry's conference room. The government will distribute seeds and fertilizers to farmers in 62 upazilas across 11 districts to cultivate maize on 16,500 acres of land starting from the current winter season. Each farmer will receive 3 kilograms of hybrid maize seeds and 50 kgs of fertilizers, including 25 kgs of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash (MoP), as incentives for maize cultivation on every 0.33 acre of land. The minister stated that the programme aims to boost maize production by 31,000 tonnes, with an estimated market value of Tk 62 crore. The initiative will be carried out in various districts, including Nilphamari, Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Pirojpur, Barisal, Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, and Jhalokhati. The agriculture minister explained that the goal of the incentive programme is to encourage farmers to cultivate maize due to its high demand and lower cultivation costs compared to crops like rice and wheat. She also noted that wheat production in the northern region has decreased due to climate changes, making maize cultivation more appealing to farmers. The nation produces approximately 1.55 million tonnes of maize each year, but it also has to bring in an additional 422,000 tonnes annually through imports.