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A three-day ‘9th BAPA FoodPro International Expo 2023’, the largest show on the food processing sector of Bangladesh, will start at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka on Thursday.
Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, chairperson of the fair committee and chairman and CEO of PRAN-RFL Group, came up with the disclosure at a press conference held at the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) in the capital on Tuesday.
Bangladesh Agro-Processors’ Association (BAPA) and Rainbow Exhibition & Event Management Services (REEMS) are jointly organising the expo in association with the Ministry of Agriculture.
The expo will remain open for all from 10 am to 7 pm. More than 200 companies from 20 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Germany, Singapore, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, Malaysia, Italy, USA, UEA and Switzerland, will showcase their products and services at the fair.
In addition, two other co-located expos named ‘11th Agro Bangladesh Expo 2023’ and ‘Food Ingredient Expo 2023’ will also held at the same time.
Ahsan Khan said, “The agro-processing sector of the country is doing well. This sector is one hand, working on food security of our country, on the other hand, it also enriched our economy by earing foreign currency by exporting products. The agro-processing sector can represent itself of their capability to the world through this international fair.”
BAPA General Secretary Md Iqtadul Hoque said they have been working relentlessly for the development of the food processing sector since its inception.
BAPA’s aim is to ensure the growing development of the sector and move forward in keeping pace with international level. In the age of globalisation, development is not possible without the use of technologies, he added.
He also said that a total of 479 members of BAPA are now exporting products to more than 140 countries. The contribution of the agro sector is around 22 per cent while the agro processing sector’s contribution is around 2 per cent. “We hope that earnings from the agro processing sector will reach $2 billion in 2025.”
Managing Director of REEMS Chanmohan Saha said, “We got huge response from the previous fair where many leading national and international food and beverage companies exhibited their products and services and visitors came here to gather their knowledge on the food sector.”
BAPA Vice President Abdul Majed, executive committee members Nazmul Haque, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad Al Imran, Moin Uddin, Syed Md Mustafa, Nur A Alam Dewan and other members of the organisation were also present at the press conference.
