Experts at a webinar on Sunday urged for establishing specialized technology-based modern supply chain infrastructure, ensuring Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) including trainings, providing fiscal incentives and adequate policy support to the farmers and strengthening BSTI.
They recommended for market research and capacity building of private sector producers and processors to survive in the competitive market.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) organized the webinar on Food Value Chain: in the time of Covid 19.
Agriculture Minister Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, MP joined this webinar as chief guest. DCCI President Shams Mahmud chaired the webinar.
Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Minister for Agriculture, Government of Bangladesh said Bangladesh is doing good in rice production and soon we will be able to surplus our consumptions. We have many foods, but for nutritious food we have to ensure tech-based production and modernization of agriculture.
Despite agriculture’s contribution to GDP is not same as it was in 80s but still the sector is profitable and we get many industry raw materials from this vast sector.
Regarding value addition, the Minister said Bangladesh is doing good and commercialization of agriculture will facilitate private sector to invest more to establish import-substitute industries here.
DCCI President Shams Mahmud in his welcome address said Bangladesh is doing well in fish production, poultry and dairy industry but the small entrepreneurs of these sectors could not be engaged in the value chain as well as deprived of getting fair price. To face the challenges of Covid time and for the development of food value chain, he put forwarded a few recommendations. He then suggested to bring country’s 2.23 lakh hector unutilized land under cultivation.
Dr. M Burhan Uddin, Professor, Department of Food Technology and Rural Industries, Bangladesh Agricultural University presented the keynote paper.
He said Bangladesh is one of the leading fish producing countries having total production of 42.77 lakh MT. Shrimp and Prawn production in 2017-18 was 2.54 lakh MT. In the poultry sector, SMEs could generate employment and reduce poverty but the sector needs institutional and policy measures, he added.
Monzur Morshed Ahmed, Member, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority said undisposed batteries and chemicals are contaminating agro-products. For as safe food value chain, we have to more work. There are several players in the food safety process and there should be a certification body to monitor check and balance, interventions coordination among the stakeholders, he added.
Dr. Saleh Ahmed, Chairman, Kernal Foundation said local consumers are losing confidence. He urged for Implementation of good agricultural practices and good manufacturing practices to avoid food contamination. We have lack of testing lab facility, he added. He further called upon for adoption of on-farm and off-farm food safety measures, infrastructure development, technology, international standard packaging.
Md. Iqtadul Hoque, General Secretary, Bangladesh Agro Processors’ Association said farmers should be well aware of actual demand of agro products so that they can produce as per demand.
He also urged for specialized cold storage facility. In recent Covid time, processed food industry was not very much hampered, he informed. In the process of food value chain, he called upon to reduce influence of middle-man in the supply chain part.
Uzma Chowdhury, Director (Finance), PRAN-RFL Group said food value chain covers the interventions of producers, processors, distributors and consumers. She said ensuring fair price for the growers will ensure the sector sustainable.
