Staff Reporter:
Food, Fisheries and Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid yesterday said that Bangladesh will enhance its capacity and take initiatives to export food items to the Japanese market.
“Food security is gaining importance globally. If our food safety meets international standards, food exports will become easier. Cooperation from all is required for this,” he added.
The Minister made the remarks when a delegation led by Chief Representative ICHIGUCHI Tomohide of JICA met him at the latter’s office yesterday.
He said, “There are many opportunities for our food exports. There is also demand in the global market. What is now needed is the necessary initiatives. We will make those efforts.”
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the “Food Safety Testing Capacity Development Project” implemented in Bangladesh with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Under this JICA-funded ten-year project worth Taka 2,409.70 crore, a food safety reference laboratory will be set up in Dhaka, two food testing laboratories in Chattogram and Khulna, and a training building will be constructed along with other capacity development activities.
These initiatives will enhance food safety testing capacity in the three divisions.
The Food Minister urged all concerned to identify problems and challenges across the food system, from production, processing, storage, supply, marketing to sale, and take appropriate measures to ensure safe food for the people.
He also thanked JICA for financing the project and expressed hope that successful implementation would establish discipline in the country’s food system.
Senior officials from JICA and ministry officials, including Food Secretary Md. Firoz Sarker, attended the meeting.
