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In the fiscal year 2021-22, only 80 thousand metric tons of
round potatoes were exported from the country to various countries in the
Middle East and Europe including Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Singapore.
Compared to the amount of potatoes that are surplus to meet the needs of the
people of the country, the amount of export is very small. For example, there is
a surplus of 25 to 30 lakh metric tons of potatoes annually to meet the needs
of the people of the country.
The main reason for the low export volume is that quality potatoes suitable for export are not being produced in this country. For that, last Wednesday (August 10, 2022) farmers were urged to produce quality potatoes by using sustainable agricultural technology in a workshop in Jessore. In this day-long entrepreneurship training workshop on “Production, Marketing and Export of Exportable Kandal (Underground) Crops through Quality Method”, Agriculture Department officials presented various information. 60 agricultural entrepreneurs participated in this workshop organized by the Kandal Crop Development Project of the Directorate of Agricultural Extension at Jessore Sadar Upazila Auditorium.
Speaking at the opening session of the training workshop,
Project Director Mokhleshur Rahman said, "There is an annual demand of 70
to 80 lakh metric tons of round potatoes in the country. 1 crore 10 lakh metric
tons of potatoes have been produced there in the last financial year. As a
result, there is a surplus of 30 to 40 lakh metric tons. Only 80 thousand
metric tons have been exported there to different countries.”
At the workshop, officials of the agriculture department
said that not only potatoes, but eight types of quality agricultural products
under the soil are being increased for export. Along with potatoes, 97 metric
tons of olkachu have also been exported from Jessore, Khulna, Jhenaidah and
Satkhira regions.
It was informed in the workshop that apart from potatoes and
olkachu, potato chips 490 metric tons, potato flakes 290 metric tons, potato
plates 10 metric tons, potato crackers 126 metric tons, kachur mukhi 50 metric
tons, kachur lati 226 metric tons, kachushak 25 metric tons, lathi Foreign
exchange has been earned through the export of 9 metric tons of kachur stalks.
Ekhlas Uddin, Additional Director, Jessore Region,
Department of Agricultural Extension was the chief guest on the occasion.
Jessore Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Sazzat Hossain and others spoke in
this workshop held under the chairmanship of Manjurul Haque, Deputy Director of
Department of Agriculturl Extension, Jessore.
|Source: Online/SZK
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