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Bangladesh needs to introduce microbial technology in cultivation to ensure safe food for consumers and grab the export market, Mohsin Sikder, Chairman of Mohsin Enterprise, tells The Business Post’s Abdur Razzak Sohel in an exclusive interview
Mohsin Enterprise is a supplier of bio grade pesticides based on microbial technology in Bangladesh and they have plans to produce it locally.
What is the present state of the biopesticides business is in Bangladesh? How far the farmers are concerned about using the chemicals?
There is a potential market of bio-pesticides in Bangladesh for the gradual increase of consciousness among the people. The farmers somehow got aware of harms caused by chemicals and they are now focusing on the use of bio-pesticides. The government is also encouraging the use of bio-pesticides. Despite that, a widespread awareness campaign of the high risks of using chemicals is needed which is yet to be developed in the country.
Why would the farmers use biopesticides instead of chemicals as the prices of bio-pesticides are not under their purchase capacity?
The food people are now eating are produced using chemicals and consumption of such foods leads them to get infected with many diseases including cancer. When you want to live a healthy life free from diseases, you have to consume foods that are produced without the use of chemicals. Gradually the prices of biopesticides are coming within the reach of farmers. If we can go for bulk manufacturing locally, there will be a radical fall in prices.
Dose the use of biopesticides ensure the same yield what the use of chemicals ensures?
The bio-pesticides work slowly. It will take time to get the same result as the chemicals provide. We have to use chemicals in a limited way and gradually the use of chemicals has to decrease as it has a long term effect on human health. By using bio-pesticides, we can ensure a healthy life and export the products to the global market.
How safe foods can be ensured for consumers and how such products would get access to international markets?
With the uses of technology and the modern cultivation process, Bangladesh is now self-sufficient in producing food grains. But the cultivation process remains questionable as chemical pesticides are used without following any rules and regulations. Considering the risk of chemicals on human health, the government is also inspiring people to produce safe food. Only by using microbial technology, we can ensure safe food and enter the global export market.
If we can ensure safe food, we would be able to grab the global market as consumers prefer safe and organic food on the health grounds.
As you said the farmers are gradually shifting towards using bio-pesticides instead of chemicals. Does it indicate any prospect of bio-pesticides business in Bangladesh?
Biopesticides have emerged as a huge potential sector as people now prefer safe foods. The people’s awareness came from the increasing number of patients, particularly with disorders in the liver and various types of cancer, in hospitals as the use of harmful chemicals in crops have contributed to such infections. It is high time to enrich bio-pesticides in the country. The agriculture-friendly government has taken several initiatives to patronise and inspire the use of bio-pesticides. We think that there is a huge potential for bio-pesticides in Bangladesh as bio-pesticides and microbial pesticides can play a vital role to ensure safe food.
Bangladesh is still import-dependent on bio-pesticides. What the local entrepreneurs are planning to decrease the dependency and manufacture the products locally?
We are supplying the products from the global market as any significant market is yet to be developed here. The local entrepreneurs are coming to manufacture bio-pesticides gradually. Those who are importing now, are planning to manufacture it locally. But the government has to act for it. I have a plan to make a factory in the country. If we can set up it, we will be able to supply the same products at two-thirds lesser price and the farmers will be inspired to use it.
What are the challenges in the business?
The developed countries are massively focusing on producing safe food. But we are yet to take any initiative like them. Many countries have made separate policies on bio-pesticides. Unfortunately, we have no policy. Even we suffered for long for the absence of a policy to register our products as bio-pesticides. Lengthy processes and red-tapism keep many interested people away from the sector. The available bio-pesticides used in Bangladesh are in living form and they stay in fluid and the micro-organisms gradually die. So, the effectiveness of such pesticides declines when it reaches the farmers. But, I have overcome the challenge with microbial technology which ensures the longevity of the products.
What are the demands of the entrepreneurs? What initiatives should be taken to inspire the use of bio-pesticides?
The developed countries are emphasising the use of bio-pesticides to avoid the effects of chemicals. With the development of the country, we have to focus on safe food. Adopting microbiological technologies, we can ensure safe food and increase the export market. The registration process should be eased and a separate department has to be set up for bio-pesticides. There is no subsidy for pesticides but bio-pesticides require subsidy. The use of chemical pesticides should be lowered gradually and awareness campaigns should be conducted.
