Bangladesh did not need to import onions this year after establishing modern storage facilities: Agri minister

Bangladesh did not need to import onions this year after taking steps to establish modern storage facilities, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said today (31 October).

“There will be no need to import even a single kilogram of onions in the future,” he said while inaugurating the country’s first large-scale gamma irradiation centre at the regional research centre of the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (Bina) in Bhabanipur, Gazipur.

He said technological limitations had prevented Bangladesh, despite being an agriculture-based country, from establishing agricultural products as a major export sector.

The government was working to overcome those limitations and make agriculture a significant source of foreign currency earnings, he added.

The gamma irradiation centre will make agricultural products suitable and safe for export markets, the minister said. The technology can help prevent spoilage, destroy harmful microorganisms and extend the shelf life of fruits and crops, he added.

He said fruits such as mangoes, jackfruit, and pineapples had strong demand in international markets, but Bangladesh had been unable to fully tap that potential because of challenges in meeting international standards and safety requirements.

The government plans to establish similar centres in all districts in phases to help ensure markets for farmers’ produce, he said.

On food safety, the minister said the quality of imported food products was being strictly tested. Imports of any food item found harmful to public health would be stopped immediately, he added.

Centre to support food preservation and exports

The 5,00,000-curie irradiation centre, built under Bina, is expected to help eliminate harmful bacteria and pathogens in crops, reduce spoilage in onions, potatoes, fruits, and other food products, and improve the quality control and quarantine testing of export-bound agricultural goods, according to Bina officials.

It is also expected to help reduce waste and secure fair prices for farmers by enabling the processing of seasonal produce, including carrots, capsicums, and fruits.

According to Bina, China Isotope and Radiation Corporation (CIRC), a state-owned Chinese company, won the contract to build the centre through an international tender in 2024.

It is the company’s first major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project in Bangladesh.