Commerce Reporter :
Khagrachhari has significant potential to expand exports of agricultural products and handicrafts, provided that product quality, processing, packaging, storage and market access are improved, speakers said at a meeting here yesterday.
The meeting titled “Enhancing Export Capacity of Products Produced in Khagrachhari District” was organised at the conference room of the Khagrachhari Deputy Commissioner’s Office under the Export Promotion Bureau’s (EPB) “One District, One Product” (ODOP) programme.
Speaking as the chief guest, Khagrachhari MP and President of the Khagrachhari District Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan said the district’s natural and geographical diversity offered considerable opportunities for producing agricultural goods and fruits.
He said improving product quality, ensuring safe production, introducing modern packaging and strengthening preservation and processing facilities could help local products gain demand in international markets.
Increased exports would raise farmers’ incomes, create employment and boost the regional economy, he said, adding that the district chamber would continue supporting local entrepreneurs and businesses.
Presiding over the meeting, EPB Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Mohammad Hasan Arif said the ODOP programme aimed to identify promising products from different districts and connect them with international markets.
He identified mangoes, pineapples, oranges, bananas, coffee, cashew nuts, dragon fruit, papayas and jackfruits, alongside bamboo, cane and handicrafts, as products with export potential in Khagrachhari.
To expand exports, he stressed quality control, grading, modern packaging, processing, storage, transportation, international certification and product diversification in line with market demand.
The EPB also supports promising products and entrepreneurs in accessing international markets through participation in trade fairs and business networking with foreign buyers, he said.
Khagrachhari Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md Anwar Sadat said export growth would depend on improving local products and making them suitable for international markets.
He called for identifying bottlenecks throughout the production and marketing chain, including storage, transportation, packaging, certification and market connectivity.
The district administration would work with relevant public and private institutions to provide necessary support, he said.
Additional Superintendent of Police Md Mizanur Rahman, PPM, said a safe and stable environment was important for expanding export activities. Law enforcement agencies would continue coordinating with relevant authorities to help farmers, traders and entrepreneurs transport and market their products without disruption, he added.
In a presentation, EPB Director Kumkum Sultana outlined Bangladesh’s export situation and ways to strengthen the export capacity of Khagrachhari’s promising products.
During an open discussion, local producers, farmers, entrepreneurs and traders shared their experiences, challenges and views on export opportunities.
Representatives of relevant government and private institutions, farmers, entrepreneurs and businesspeople attended the meeting, which emphasised coordinated initiatives, skills development and quality production in line with international market requirements.
