‘Govt making strides to make country self-reliant in food’

Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque has said that the government of Bangladesh has continuously been trying hard to make the country self-reliant in food and nutrition.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government is working to ensure safe and nutritious food for all as per its electoral pledge,” he told at the inaugural ceremony of a three-day National Fruits Fair-2022 on the premises of Krishibid Institution Bangladesh at Khamarbari in Dhaka on Thursday.

Razzaque said, “An adult needs to take 200 grams of fruits per day, but now an adult in Bangladesh can take only 55-60 grams of fruits per day.”

“We will have to raise the ratio to 200 grams. It is challenging to ensure 200 grams of fruits for every one of the 17 crore people. The government is working towards making the country self-reliant in food and nutrition,” he said.

He also hoped the government would be able to make a revolution in fruit production just like it did in rice production. Noting that indigenous food will never be extinct, the agriculture minister said the germplasm of native fruits are being conserved.

Later, he joined a seminar arranged on the occasion of the National Fruits Fair in the KIB auditorium.

Agriculture Secretary Sayedul Islam chaired the seminar while Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Executive Chairman Sheikh Bakhtiar, Agriculture Extension Department Director-General Benajir Alam also spoke on the occasion.

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute CSO Babul Chandra Sarker presented the keynote paper at the seminar.

He said 78 types of fruits are being cultivated in the country but 60 per cent of total produced fruits are mangoes, bananas, and jackfruits.

The fruit fair will continue till June 18 from 9:00am to 9:00pm every day with the theme “Yearlong fruit cultivation brings both money and nutrition”.