The government will provide seeds and fertilisers worth nearly Tk 80 crore for free to the small and marginal farmers to ensure nutrition for the people of the country through crop diversification.

A total of 6,86,700 bighas of land can be cultivated with the provided seeds and fertilizer, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said while addressing a press briefing at the ministry's conference room today.

Under the programme, a total of 6,86,700 marginal farmers would get free seeds and fertiliser for cultivation of nine types of crops -- wheat, maize, mustard, sunflower, peanuts, winter season mung, onion, summer season mung, and summer season sesame.

The incentive would be given to 75,000 famers for wheat cultivation; 2,50,000 for maize; 2,40,000 for mustard; 4,000 for sunflower; 10,000 for peanuts, 25,000 for summer season sesame; 30,000 for summer season mung; 45,000 for winter season mung and 7,700 for grass onion cultivation.