Bangladesh ready to turn into major food exporter

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Bangladesh ready to turn into major food exporter - Khaleej Times

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Bangladesh ready to turn into major food exporter
Staff Report
Filed on February 21, 2016 | Last updated on February 21, 2016 at 07.00 am

Bangladeshi workers sieve rice in a village near Dhaka. Rice is one of the UAE's biggest imports from Bangladesh.
(AFP)

More than 60 per cent of the $300 million worth of Bangladeshi exports to the UAE are foodstuff and commodities -- mostly rice, pulses, tea and processed food.

Dubai: Bangladesh is set to become a major exporter of foodstuff and commodities as its vast alluvial farmlands are gradually being brought under an enhanced production programme to deliver three crops per year.

This was disclosed by top government officials during a news conference in Dubai on Saturday in connection with Gulfood, which starts on Sunday. Bangladesh participates in the Gulfood exhibition every year with a view to extending its export market in the Mena region.

This year, 20 food and beverage manufacturing companies from Bangladesh will participate in Gulfood 2016 with assistance from the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau. Exhibitors will showcase products such as juice and drinks, snacks, spices, confectionery and bakery items in the Bangladesh pavilion.

The UAE, where nearly a million Bangladeshi expatriates live and work, has played an instrumental role in promoting Bangladeshi food products. More than 60 per cent of the $300 million worth of Bangladeshi exports to the UAE are foodstuff and commodities - mostly rice, pulses, tea and processed food.

"Bangladesh sets a good example in the developing world for attaining self sufficiency in food production. The country successfully increased its agricultural yields manifold in the recent past despite a huge population pressure on cultivable lands," S. Bodiruzzaman, Bangladesh Consul-General in Dubai and Northern Emirates, said. "These days, agriculture is not only a foodgrain provider to the country, but it has also emerged as one of the most important export-oriented industries."

"The agro-based food industry is a fast growing sector in Bangladesh, contributing significantly to the economic growth [32 per cent of the GDP] and generating huge employment [63 per cent of the labour force]," A.K.M. Rafique Ahammed, Commercial Counsellor of Bangladesh, said.

The recent export trends show the potential of Bangladesh's processed food industry in the global market which is worth approximately $4.5 trillion. The exports of processed foods are growing at an average rate of 26 per cent.

Among the exportable food items of Bangladesh, processed foods, frozen fish, prawn and lobsters and green vegetables have a huge market demand in export destinations across the globe.

abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com

 

[Scavenger]

This is good to hear.

 

[UKBengali]

What a silly article!

BD can never become a major food exporter as it does not have enough fertile land to adequately support it's own population. 160 million people live in an area one-sixth the size of Pakistan.

As the culinary habits of the population turns more meat-based with increased prosperity, then the country will become ever more reliant on imports of foods to feed it's huge population.

Yes, BD can export a little food here and there but to suggest that it can become a major exporter is nonsense.

 

[Scavenger]

What a silly article!

BD can never become a major food exporter as it does not have enough fertile land to adequately support it's own population. 160 million people live in an area one-sixth the size of Pakistan.

As the culinary habits of the population turns more meat-based with increased prosperity, then the country will become ever more reliant on imports of foods to feed it's huge population.

Yes, BD can export a little food here and there but to suggest that it can become a major exporter is nonsense.

Your population growth is pretty stable and your farm productivity is rising and it will continue to rise till it doubles or triples(to what is the current productivity standard in the West, let alone account for new changes in technology which will happen) in the next decade.
Food insecurity for even the poorest will be a thing of the past in about 2 decades for both India and BD for these same reasons.