Bangladesh strengthens agricultural trade thru SPS

Staff Reporter Mymensingh :

Bangladesh Strengthens Agricultural Trade through Successful Sanitary and Phytosanitary System (SPS ) workshop was held on Monday (25 November 2024) at the Hilsa Conference Lounge of Hotel Holiday Inn in Dhaka. The workshop hosted by the Center for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) and technical assistance by USDA/FAS and supported by USAID funding.

The event was chaired by Dr. Md. Shafi Uddin, Director of the Plant Quarantine. Wing, Department of Agricultural Extension Mr. S.M. Suhrab Uddin, Director of the Plant Protection Wing was present as the Chief Guest. The Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Plant Quarantine Wing (PQW), Plant Protection Wing (PPW), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), the Ministry of Commerce, academia from agricultural universities and representatives from USAID, USDA, APAARI, and the private sector representatives were in the attendance.

The event brought together 40 key stakeholders, including representatives from government departments and ministries, research institutions, agricultural universities, and the private sector, to tackle critical challenges in aligning the country’s agricultural practices with international SPS standards.

In the workshop the initiative was well-received by all participants. The event’s Chair Dr. Md. Safi Uddin highlighted the threat posed by invasive species, stating, “To minimize the risk of invasive species, it is essential to conduct surveillance and a Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) for quarantine pests.” A representative from the Bio pesticide industry further emphasized.