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Russian team to inspect pest-free potato exports in Bangladesh
A team from Russia is likely to call in Bangladesh in the second week of April to assess the country's capacity of controlling plant diseases and exporting disease-free potato, said a senior official of the local agriculture ministry.
The team may visit Bangladesh from April 6-11, said Anwar Faruque, director general of the agriculture ministry's seed wing. The development comes after the agriculture ministry made an action plan to export disease-free potato, which, in turn, was drafted after Russia detected a diseased consignment of the tuber last year. As per the plan, exporters will have to collect potatoes from regions free-from brown rot disease.
Exporters will also have to get certification from the local agriculture office that there was no outbreak of the disease in that respective sourcing zone. It was also decided that potatoes would be tested before issuing phyto-sanitary certificates in favour of exporters. In addition, exporters will have to give names of the sourcing districts within a day of collecting the vegetables to the plant protection wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension.
Faruque said the five-member team from the quarantine authority of Russia would see the progress in implementation of the action plan.
“We would like to show them our quarantine and lab facilities, port infrastructure and our research capabilities. We also want to take them on field visits and show them our seed production and storage capacities.” Shaikh Abdul Quader, president of Bangladesh Potato Exporters Association, said they have been exporting potato to Russia for the last two-three years. “Russia has a huge market for potato. We want to consolidate our standing there by ensuring supply of disease-free potato.”
Of the total potato shipment of around 103,000 tonnes in fiscal 2013-14, more than 20,000 tonnes of potato went to Russia. Nearly 71,000 tonnes of potato were shipped between July 1 last year and March 24 this year. Of the quantity, 9,300 tonnes went to Russia, according to the agriculture ministry.
Bangladesh produces more than 8 mln tonnes of potato a year, with consumption remaining lower than total output, according to Bangladesh Cold Storage Association. Between July and February, the country raked in $19.38 million for potato exports, up 76 percent year-on-year, according to Export Promotion Bureau.