Economic Reporter :
The speakers at a seminar stressed on the importance of multilateral cooperation for optimizing the production and marketing safe fruits and vegetables at local and international markets.
The seminar titled ‘Pest free and safe fruits and vegetables production for domestic consumption and export through responsible control farming and market promotion: sharing experience of mango export and exploring potentiality for scale and replication in other horticultural commodities’ held on Thursday in the city.
The program jointly organised by Solidaridad Network Asia, a non-government organization, Department of Agricultural Extension, Ministry of Agriculture and Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association.
Government officials, private sector representatives, agriculturists and representatives of the mango farming communities participated the program.
Mozaiball Haque, a supply chain and super market specialist made a presentation focusing on the steps taken to ensure the safety and quality of mangoes produced through contract farming at Satkhira.
In the presentation, he explained that the model that has been developed could be scaled and replicated for boosting local consumption and export on a larger scale.
Hedayetullah Al Mamun, ndc, Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce was present at the programme as Chief Guest emphasized the importance of meeting due compliances for realising the full export potentials of Bangladeshi products.
He said that in order to tap the potential of global supply chain, we must uphold the interests of the stakeholders through ensuring rigorous quality control.
Arjul Islam, a mango producer from Kolaroa, Satkhira attributed the success of this initiative to wholehearted support of Solidaridad, local partners and the DAE.
He also hoped that, if the present trend continues, mangoes from Satkhira could emerge as a model for safe fruits all over the world.
Zahirul islam, representative of Islam Group, an exporter said that all the consignments of mango they have exported so far have safely reached in the markets of Italy, France and the UK.
S. M. Jahangir Hossain, President of Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association (BFVAPEA) commented that, if full support of the government could be ensured, the mango production could be extended to even 2000 MT in the following years. He urged Solidaridad to extend their activities to the vegetable sector to enhance food safety and boost export.
Niaz Rahim, President of the Supermarket Owners’ Association of Bangladesh remarked that, through inter-ministerial coordination and collaboration between the public and private sector, the potentials of the local market could be fully realized while improving the image of Bangladeshi products worldwide.
Laurent Umans, First Secretary Food Security, Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Bangladesh put emphasis on building value chain instead of supply chains, because this will lead to greater and sustainable welfare of the smallholder farmers.
Soumen Saha, Director, Plant Quarantine wing, DAE, Hamidur Rahman, Director General, Department of Agricultural Extension, Mosharraf Hossain, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture were present at the programme among others.
Finally, Country Manager of Solidaridad Selim Reza Hasan, thanked all concerned for their efforts and remarked that, the platform which has been built through this initiative would contribute significantly to expansion and business promotion of safe food supply chain in the local and international level.
“Public-private investment and support is needed to reduce post harvest loss and to make the supply chain efficient which will address the interest of both the farmers and the consumers.”
The speakers at a seminar stressed on the importance of multilateral cooperation for optimizing the production and marketing safe fruits and vegetables at local and international markets.
The seminar titled ‘Pest free and safe fruits and vegetables production for domestic consumption and export through responsible control farming and market promotion: sharing experience of mango export and exploring potentiality for scale and replication in other horticultural commodities’ held on Thursday in the city.
The program jointly organised by Solidaridad Network Asia, a non-government organization, Department of Agricultural Extension, Ministry of Agriculture and Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association.
Government officials, private sector representatives, agriculturists and representatives of the mango farming communities participated the program.
Mozaiball Haque, a supply chain and super market specialist made a presentation focusing on the steps taken to ensure the safety and quality of mangoes produced through contract farming at Satkhira.
In the presentation, he explained that the model that has been developed could be scaled and replicated for boosting local consumption and export on a larger scale.
Hedayetullah Al Mamun, ndc, Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce was present at the programme as Chief Guest emphasized the importance of meeting due compliances for realising the full export potentials of Bangladeshi products.
He said that in order to tap the potential of global supply chain, we must uphold the interests of the stakeholders through ensuring rigorous quality control.
Arjul Islam, a mango producer from Kolaroa, Satkhira attributed the success of this initiative to wholehearted support of Solidaridad, local partners and the DAE.
He also hoped that, if the present trend continues, mangoes from Satkhira could emerge as a model for safe fruits all over the world.
Zahirul islam, representative of Islam Group, an exporter said that all the consignments of mango they have exported so far have safely reached in the markets of Italy, France and the UK.
S. M. Jahangir Hossain, President of Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association (BFVAPEA) commented that, if full support of the government could be ensured, the mango production could be extended to even 2000 MT in the following years. He urged Solidaridad to extend their activities to the vegetable sector to enhance food safety and boost export.
Niaz Rahim, President of the Supermarket Owners’ Association of Bangladesh remarked that, through inter-ministerial coordination and collaboration between the public and private sector, the potentials of the local market could be fully realized while improving the image of Bangladeshi products worldwide.
Laurent Umans, First Secretary Food Security, Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Bangladesh put emphasis on building value chain instead of supply chains, because this will lead to greater and sustainable welfare of the smallholder farmers.
Soumen Saha, Director, Plant Quarantine wing, DAE, Hamidur Rahman, Director General, Department of Agricultural Extension, Mosharraf Hossain, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture were present at the programme among others.
Finally, Country Manager of Solidaridad Selim Reza Hasan, thanked all concerned for their efforts and remarked that, the platform which has been built through this initiative would contribute significantly to expansion and business promotion of safe food supply chain in the local and international level.
“Public-private investment and support is needed to reduce post harvest loss and to make the supply chain efficient which will address the interest of both the farmers and the consumers.”
