Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said on Friday Bangladesh can utilise Dutch technology to preserve onions and increase its shelf life.
During his visit to 'Waterman Onions' in the Netherlands, a leading onion exporting company in the world, he also said Bangladesh is eyeing for achieving self-sufficiency in onions.
'Waterman Onions' exports and markets above 0.15 million tonnes of onions annually worldwide.
Dr Razzaque said improved varieties of onions of the Netherlands, their production and storage technology could be appropriated in Bangladesh to meet the shortage of onion from September to December.
He said Bangladesh can also consider importing onion from the Netherlands to meet the shortfall in onions during the four-month period, according to a press release.
While visiting 'All-Vegetable Processing', a vegetable processing, store equipment and agro equipment manufacturing company at Andi in the Netherlands, the minister emphasised the need for setting up such industries in Bangladesh as joint venture.
He said Bangladesh has a favourable environment for investment and all facilities and it will provide necessary assistance in this regard.
The minister also made a visit for improved varieties and modern production, processing and storage technology of potatoes in agro-food cluster at Emelord in the country on the same day.
He sought technical assistance from Dutch companies in production and export of potatoes.
Agriculture additional secretary Md Ruhul Amin Talukder, director general of Department of Agricultural Marketing Mohammad Yusuf, Bangladesh ambassador to the Netherlands M Riaz Hamidullah, managing director of ACI Agro Link Dr F H Ansary, chairman of Pran-RFL Group Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chief operating officer of Square Food and Beverages Parvez Saiful Islam, Gemcon Group director Kazi Inam Ahmed accompanied the agriculture minister during his visit to Netherlands.
tonmoy.wardad@gmaill.com