Quality must be ensured in export of safe agro products

The Minister for Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain said that quality must be ensured when exporting safe vegetables, fruits, and flowers produced in the country abroad.

Speaking as the chief guest at a training programme on techniques for maintaining the quality of polyhouse-produced crops held in Dinajpur on Saturday, the Minister said that BADC is an institution that always supports agriculture and farmers.

He noted that among the projects being implemented by BADC to develop a sustainable agricultural system, the “Polyhouse Construction Project” has a unique objective and outcome.

Through this project, water-saving irrigation technology and controlled-temperature polyhouse systems are being used in different parts of the country to produce vegetables, fruits, and flowers in a regulated environment.

He added that exporting safe vegetables, fruits, and flowers produced through polyhouses is a matter of pride, but maintaining product quality must be ensured. Farmers must have clear and comprehensive knowledge on this matter. Through such training, farmers will be able to improve both production capacity and gain knowledge on marketing techniques.

In addition, pesticide-free produce grown in polyhouses using drip irrigation and mist irrigation is being sold in local markets and various supermarkets in the capital. Recently, high-quality capsicum and gerbera flowers produced in polyhouses have also been exported to the Middle East, said Project Director Md. Mahbub Alam.

The training programme was attended by BADC’s Chief Engineer (Irrigation), Executive Engineer (Dinajpur), farmers, entrepreneurs, and local people.