Bangladesh to gain capacity to export agri products to all countries within 2yrs

Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akter on Sunday said that international laboratory would be set up in Bangladesh in order to provide accredited certificates as part of the roadmap for exporting agricultural products.

She also informed that world-class packaging system is being developed in the country alongside imparting training to some two lakh farmers across the country in order to produce commodities suitable for the demand of various countries across the world.

The Agriculture Secretary also hoped that Bangladesh would gain capacity to export agricultural products to all countries within the next two years.

The Agricultural Secretary said this while addressing a workshop on LDC Graduation and Implementation of Action Plan: "Export of Agro Products: Challenges and Way Forward" held at the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC) in the capital.

Mentioning that Bangladesh is being praised across the world for producing agricultural products, Wahida said, "But, we'll have to work more to enhance the export of agricultural products and reduce the production cost. The Ministry of Agriculture has also launched dedicated export desk to expand export of agricultural products,"

Presided over by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Dr Nahid Rashid, BARC executive chairman Dr Sheikh Mohammad Bakhtiar, Commerce Ministry Export Wing Chief and additional secretary Abdur Rahim Khan spoke on the occasion.

Former Director General of Department of Fisheries Dr Syed Arif Azad, additional secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock ATM Mostafa Kamal, CABI country representative, Bangladesh Md Saleh Ahmed, executive director of RAPID Dr M Abu Eusuf, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Member, director (AERS) BARC, Dr Md Mosharraf Uddin Molla made the key-note presentation.
Speaking on the occasion, senior commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that many African countries are now exporting agricultural products to Europe whereas the Bangladesh exporters are lagging behind in this regard.

He also suggested raising investment in agri-processed industries especially in the special economic zones.

Tapan also urged the private entrepreneurs to come forward and invest in the agricultural sector.

Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Dr Nahid Rashid stressed the need for making investment at both public and private level to boost production of fisheries and animal protein.