DHAKA, Oct 11, 2021 (BSS) - Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque today said the incumbent government is working relentlessly to remove the all export barriers and increase the exports of local agricultural products.

   "Bangladesh has huge potentials to export vegetables, potatoes and fruits as well as processed food items and we have now a surplus in various crops and food . . . the government wants to export this surplus crop all over the world," he told a view-exchange meeting at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) at Farmgate here.

   Referring to the increased volume of the export of agricultural products, the minister said it has increased many times in the last one year and the government is working relentlessly to enhance the export-volume in the days to come.

   In June last, the Ministry of Agriculture formed a committee to increase exports of agricultural products. This committee prepared a total of two roadmaps for export of vegetables, fruits and one for export of potatoes.

  Director General of the Department of Agriculture Marketing (DAM) Mohammad Yusuf, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) Dr Sheikh Mohammad Bokhtiar, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Md Asadullah and Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) Chairman Dr Amitabh Sarkar. 

  Agriculture Ministry's Senior Secretary Mesbahul Islam presided over the meeting while Additional Secretary Ruhul Amin Talukder delivered his welcome speech. 

   Representatives of various ministries or departments, exporters, processors and farmers exchanged views with the minister and other senior officials concerned of all affiliated bodies of the government.

   In the meeting, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Marketing Dr Mohammad Raju Ahmed presented a draft roadmap to increase the export of vegetables, fruits and processed agricultural products and Chief Coordinator of the BADC research cell Dr Md Rezaul Karim presented the draft roadmap prepared to increase potato exports. 

   In the presentation of the draft roadmap, they identified the major problems in increasing the export of vegetables, potatoes, fruits and processed agricultural products and made several recommendations to address them.