Initiatives to be taken to export food to Japan : Agri Minister

Online Desk  : Food, Fisheries and Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said, “We will increase our capacity and take initiatives to export our food items to the Japanese market.” He said, “The issue of food safety is gaining importance worldwide. If our food safety meets international standards, food exports will be easy. Everyone's cooperation is needed in this regard.” The minister said this while meeting a delegation led by JICA's chief representative Ichiguchi Tomohide in his office on Sunday. The minister said, "We have many opportunities to export foods. There is also demand in the global market....

11

Online Desk  : Food, Fisheries and Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said, “We will increase our capacity and take initiatives to export our food items to the Japanese market.” He said, “The issue of food safety is gaining importance worldwide. If our food safety meets international standards, food exports will be easy. Everyone’s cooperation is needed in this regard.” The minister said this while meeting a delegation led by JICA’s chief representative Ichiguchi Tomohide in his office on Sunday. The minister said, “We have many opportunities to export foods. There is also demand in the global market. Now, the necessary initiatives are needed and we will make that effort.”

The meeting discussed in detail the ‘Food Safety Testing Capacity Development Project’ being run in Bangladesh with the funding of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). According to the sources, under the 10-year Food Safety Testing Capacity Development Project of Tk 2,409.70 crore funded by JICA, a Food Safety Reference Laboratory in Dhaka, two food laboratories in Chattogram and Khulna, and necessary capacity development activities including construction of training buildings will be carried out. This will increase the food safety testing capacity of Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna divisions.

The Food Minister called on the concerned to take appropriate steps by identifying problems and challenges in the food system from food production, processing, storage, supply, marketing and sale to ensure safe food for the people. The Food Minister thanked JICA for funding this project. He also expressed hope that if this project is successfully implemented, it will be possible to establish discipline in the country’s food system. Senior officials of JICA and food secretary Md. Firoz Sarkar, along with concerned officials of the ministry, were present in the meeting.

Source: BSS