A help desk named “DCCI Agro Service Desk” has been set up at the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) for the development of Bangladesh’s agriculture sector as well as to assist the stakeholders and entrepreneurs of the industry.
DCCI Senior Vice-President Kamrul Islam FCA inaugurated the desk on Sunday. The desk was set up with the supported of USAID’s Agriculture Value Chain (AVC) Project.
During the program, Kamrul Islam said that the contribution of agriculture to county’s GDP is 14.75% and it employs 40.6% (around 24.5 million people) of the total employment.
He said the export earnings from Agro-food reached to US$553 million in 2016-2017 which is only 1.59% of total export basket.
Bangladesh also set a target to achieve US$1 billion from Agro-food export by 2021, said a DCCI press release.
He said Global Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) is an internationally recognized standard practiced by the farmers or producers by adopting which we can ensure safety and quality food chain, capturing new market advantages, improve workers’ health, working conditions and creating new market opportunities for farmers/exporters in developing countries.
To enter into the world market especially the European and US markets, GAP and other standards need to be strictly maintained.
A recent study of Institute of Public Health and Nutrition, Bangladesh suggests that 43 consumer goods selected as sample was found to be adulterated and average adulteration rate was 40% while100% adulteration was found in 13 consumer goods.
He also said that in Bangladesh, post-harvest loss is too high, 12% in paddy and 20% of total production of vegetables and fruits because of a lack in processing, storage and packaging facilities.
The DCCI leader said the government is trying to formulate Bangladesh GAP initially to ensure the method and practice of keeping with international standards.
Chief of Party, AVC Project Paul Bundick, Vice President of DCCI Riyadh Hossain, Directors, DCCI Imran Ahmed, KMN Manjurul Hoque, representative of Global GAP Lisa Heinemann and Secretary General, DCCI AHM Rezaul Kabir were present on the occasion.
