Int’l accredited lab in Purbachal on the way

Government is going to set up an international accredited laboratory and agro processing centre at Purbachal in the capital, with an aim to ensure quality of production, informed Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque.

 “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given 2 acres of land in Purbachal for an international accredited laboratory and agro processing centre,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at a webinar on ‘Food Value Chain: in the time of Covid-19’on Sunday.

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) organized the webinar, while DCCI President Shams Mahmud chaired the event, said a press release.

Razzaque said Bangladesh is doing well in rice production and soon the country will be able to surplus its consumption. “We have many foods, but for nutritious food we have to ensure tech-based production and modernization of agriculture. Despite agriculture’s contribution to GDP is not the same as it was in the 80s but still the sector is profitable and we get many industry raw materials from this vast sector,” he added.

Regarding value addition, he said Bangladesh is doing well and commercialization of agriculture will facilitate the private sector to invest more to establish import-substitute industries here.

Bangladesh is now producing various non-traditional fruits like dragon fruit, cassava, and strawberry and very soon the country is going to produce Cashew nut, he added.

Shams Mahmud in his welcome address said Bangladesh is doing well in fish production, poultry and dairy industry but the small entrepreneurs of these sectors could not be engaged in the value chain as well as deprived of getting fair price.

To face the challenges of Covid time and for the development of the food value chain, he suggested bringing the country’s 2,23000 hectres unutilized land under cultivation.

He urged for establishing specialized technology-based modern supply chain infrastructure, ensuring Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) including training, providing fiscal incentives and adequate policy support to the farmers and strengthening BSTI.

Bangladesh Agricultural University Food Technology and Rural Industries Department Professor Dr M Burhan Uddin presented the keynote paper while Member of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Monzur Morshed Ahmed and Chairman of the Kernal Foundation Dr Saleh Ahmed, among others, joined the webinar.