The widespread adoption of nano urea in agriculture has the potential to significantly reduce crop production costs. According to the inventor, a professor at Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST), replacing conventional urea fertilizer costing Tk 4,200 with nano urea would bring the expense down to a mere Tk 230. Entrepreneurs believe that the commercial use of this fertilizer, proven successful at the research level in Bangladesh, will not only cut costs but also protect soil fertility. Agricultural experts are urging the government to formulate a long-term plan to promote the use of nano urea in agriculture.
To meet the national demand for rice, the country produces approximately 60 million tons annually. This production requires around 3 million tons of urea fertilizer each year, with 80% of it being met through imports.
This massive import bill not only drains valuable foreign currency but also contributes to the decline in the fertility of arable land due to the use of chemical fertilizers. The application of nano urea offers a potential solution to this problem.
Professor Dr. Zabed Hossain Khan, the inventor of the nano fertilizer, stated, "The government imports one sack of urea at a cost of Tk 90-92, which translates to at least Tk 4,200. However, using nano urea for one bigha of land will only cost Tk 230 for fertilizer. It needs to be applied through a spray machine."
The researcher claims that his invention has already passed several tests in the United States. Field-level trials are also underway in Sherpur Upazila of Bogura.
Dr. Zabed Hossain Khan further added, "For the past seven years, numerous research papers have been published in various research institutions in America, and it has been approved there. A company in Minnesota is interested in acquiring this technology from Bangladesh. It is patented in my name."
Entrepreneurs believe that the use of nanotechnology will not only preserve the fertility of agricultural land but also reduce production costs. Md. Sultan Mahmud, Head of Operations (Seeds) at National AgriCare Group, said that they are working on this under an academia-industry partnership with Jashore University of Science and Technology.
Agricultural experts emphasize the need for direct government support to expand the commercial use of nanotechnology in agriculture. Agriculturalist Dr. Md. Sadrul Amin said, "This technology is being used all over the world. Commercial use of nanotechnology needs to be increased in the country as well. This requires more research and government assistance."
Technology stakeholders believe that if the use of conventional urea fertilizer is reduced and the use of nano urea is increased, the cost of crop production can be reduced by at least 50%.
It is worth noting that Tk 7,169 crore was spent on importing 1.623 million tons of urea last year.
