Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque has urged the big companies to invest in agro- processing in order to make the marketing and supply chain of the agro products stronger.
“Surplus rice and other crop productions are common in the country, but the marketing and supply system is very weak and so far has not been developed,” he said on Wednesday while addressing a discussion, titled “Food security in pandemic and ensuring supply”, via a video conference from the Secretariat.
“Balanced and sustainable marketing system will never develop, if big companies do not come forward for agriculture processing,” he said at the function, organized by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).
Razzaque said marketing becomes a problem when production increases. “”The production of the country’s mango and potato is higher this year, but the price is lower. Growers are now unable to sell the potatoes.”
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But large scale manufacturing of processed foods like mango juice, jelly and potato chips through mango and potato processing would not create any problem in marketing and make the growers financially gainers, he added.
“To increase agro-products export and ensure export of quality products, the government has approved a project of Tk156 crore for modernizing the central packing house at Shyampur,” the minister said.
Food Secretary Dr Mst Nazmanara Khanum, Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) Director General Dr M Nazrul Anwar, DCCI President Rizwan Rahman and Senior Vice President NKA Mubin, NATP Advisor Mahbub Alam, Foodpanda Managing Director Ambarin Reza, among others, spoke at the webinar.
Bangladesh Agriculture University Professor Dr Borhan Uddin presented the keynote paper.