The government is extending Tk 170 crore as incentive to boost cultivation and production of boro paddy.

Under the incentive, around 27 lakh farmers across the country are getting free seeds and fertilisers.

The incentives are given in three categories from the agriculture rehabilitation support fund, the agriculture ministry said in a statement today.

Each of around 15 lakh farmers will be provided with 2 kilogrammes of paddy seed under a Tk 82 crore incentive package to increase production of hybrid paddy.

Some 12 lakh farmers will get benefit under a Tk 73 crore package for increased production of high-yielding paddy varieties.

Each farmer will get 5 kgs of seed, 10 kgs of diammonium phosphate and 10 kgs of Muriate of Potash fertilisers for free for cultivation of one bigha land, according to the statement.

Tk 15 crore will be disbursed as incentive for planting and harvesting of paddy at the same time, under which 110 blocks will be established in 61 districts.

Tk 13.7 lakh will be spent for each of the 50-acre blocks, the agriculture ministry said.

The distribution of the incentives is ongoing at the field level and around 50 per cent of the incentives on an average have already been disbursed.