USDA to support Bangladesh agro-based industry

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will extend its support to Bangladesh for promoting agricultural by-products as well as agro-based industry.

Chief of USDA Environmental Management Division Dr Qiying Zhang gave the assurance when Bangladesh industries minister Amir Hossain Amu visited the organisation in Washington on Saturday, said an official release in Dhaka on Sunday.

On the occasion, Amu said the government has attached top priority to the promotion of agriculture production for economic progress of Bangladesh.

The government has formulated the national quality standard policy to make the Bangladeshi products of global standard, he said, adding: “We are working to establish Bangladesh National Quality and Technical Regulatory Council (BNQRTC) to implement the policy.”

The minister said agricultural productivity has increased significantly in the country as a result of technological innovation and development of high-yielding varieties of crops by the Bangladeshi scientists.

Alongside enhancing agricultural productions, Bangladesh has made a good progress in ensuring sustainable and environment-friendly industry. Bangladesh ranked third in vegetable production while it stood forth in goat farming, rice and fish production, the minister said.

With assistance of European Union, Bangladesh has set up international standard testing laboratory to assess quality of fish production, which is helping fish export to the developed countries, he added.

Welcoming the proposal of USDA for promoting agricultural by-products as well as agro-based industry of Bangladesh, Amu said the technical support of USDA would widen bilateral assistance of both countries.