To address the needs of Bangladeshi food business operators, USAID-funded Feed the Future Bangladesh Trade Activity on Tuesday launched two new editions of its Easy Export Series publications titled “Food Safety Requirements of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and Processed Food to Gulf Countries' and ‘Food Supply Chain Traceability”.
The speakers said that these publications are meant to assist Bangladeshi small and medium-sized food exporters to meet international food safety and traceability standards and to capture a share of the Gulf market.
They made the remarks during the series' opening ceremony on Tuesday in the capital.
The Trade Activity has already published two Easy Export Series on Bangladesh's regulatory requirements for exporting fresh fruits and vegetables and exporting food products to the European Union countries.
The Trade Activity's third Easy Export Series elaborates on detailed requirements for complying with Gulf countries' food safety standards and the fourth Easy Export Series explains various countries' food chain traceability requirements.
All four editions of the Easy Export Series are now available to download for free on the Export Promotion Bureau website.
Md Nurul Islam, chief coordinator of the Skills for Employment Investment Program (SEIP), Finance Division of the Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Agro Processors' Association (BAPA) was the chief guest of the ceremony.
Professor Abu Noman Faruq Ahmad, chairman of the Department of Plant Pathology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University was the special guest.
The event was chaired by Marc Shiman, chief of Party, Feed the Future Bangladesh Trade Activity.
The closing remarks were given by Ferdaus Ara Begum, CEO of the Business Initiative Leading Development.
Food business operators, government officials, private sector representatives, development partners and members of the media were also present at the event.
The Easy Export Series is part of a broader effort by the Trade Activity to support the growth of Bangladesh's export industry.
The Trade Activity supports Bangladesh to bolster economic growth and food security by improving trade facilitation, enhancing market access and improving the business-enabling market.
It also provides technical assistance, training, institutional strengthening and other direct support to the Government of Bangladesh and non-governmental partners.
It also promotes greater collaboration among the government, private sector and civil society organizations.