China interested in buying mangoes from Bangladesh: Agriculture Minister
Minister of Agriculture Dr. Md. Abdus Shahid said that China wants to buy mangoes from Bangladesh this year. An expert delegation from China has expressed interest in visiting mango orchards and production operations during mango ripening.
He said that the delegation wants to come to Bangladesh in early June this year. Based on the report of the delegation, China's customs department will give final approval for the import of mangoes from Bangladesh.
He said these things at the end of the meeting held with Yao Wen, the Chinese ambassador appointed in Dhaka, at the Secretariat's own office on Monday (April 29).
At this time, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Malay Chowdhury, Joint Secretary Md. Mahmudur Rahman, Economic and Commercial Counselor of Chinese Embassy Song Yang and others were present.
Expecting China's investment in agriculture, the minister said, "China's investment and technical cooperation is needed to modernize and mechanize Bangladesh's agriculture." China's cooperation is needed in this regard especially so that the country's farmers can get modern agricultural machinery at a low price because we can buy machines from China at relatively low prices.
Earlier in the afternoon, Irma Van Duren, Ambassador of the Netherlands appointed in Dhaka, had a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture. The meeting emphasized on increasing mutual cooperation in the agricultural sector and working together on strengthening agricultural research and technology exchange.
The meeting discussed the construction and operation of an onion storage facility at Bhaluka, Mymensingh, under the initiative of the Netherlands government. It is said that onions can be stored all year round in this archive.
The minister said, 'Onion is a very important crop for us. To become self-sufficient in onions, we are emphasizing on increasing and preserving onion production. The construction of storage houses under the initiative of the Netherlands government will play a very helpful role in this regard.
The Agriculture Minister will inaugurate the onion storage facility built at Bhaluka in Mymensingh on the initiative of the Netherlands government on May 2.