Staff Reporter :
In order to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, the United States now wants to expand its trading relationship in the livestock sector here.
“We have funded millions of dollars to develop the livestock industry and are now looking to expand our trading relationship in the sector,” Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of US Embassy in Dhaka Helen LaFave said.
She said this while both the U.S. Embassy and the Bangladesh Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock celebrate the 50 years of US-Bangladesh Cooperation in the Livestock Sector, a press release said on Monday.
The celebration was attended by Minister of Fisheries and Livestock SM Rezaul Karim and U.S. industry representatives from U.S. Livestock Genetics Export (USLGE).
“Each year, Bangladesh look for more and more high-quality livestock and genetics from the United States. Last year alone, Bangladesh imported more than $7 million, a record amount,” LaFava said.
This event is the first time that the U.S. livestock industry has arrived in Bangladesh to learn more about the growing market.
In addition to this event, USLGE representatives and the American businesses are meetings with businesses and government stakeholders, traveling to the Government of Bangladesh’s dairy farm, artificial insemination lab, and quality control lab in Savar, and visiting commercial dairy farms in Saidpur.
Over the past 50 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have worked closely with Bangladesh to develop livestock industry.
From 2013-2017, USDA supported Bangladesh through the $7 million Bangladesh Dairy Enhancement Programme, which improved farm management practices and increased milk production.
