Set up palm oil extraction mills

From a recent press release from the Dhaka office of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, it is known that the annual demand for edible oil and fat in Bangladesh was 1.8 million in 2013. Bangladesh imported 1.7 million tones edible oil and 1.26 million tones palm oil in 2013. Recently, an electronic media has telecast a documentary on a few palm gardens in Tangail hilly area, which is very much encouraging for us. Farmers are very happy with bumper production. But they are confronting acute problem in extracting oil from palm fruit as there are no mills here. Their hope will turn into frustration if they fail to get oil from the palm fruits.

The government should take an initiative to solve the problem by setting up mills to extract palm oil on an urgent basis. Private venture may come with large mills. It is not impossible to grow 20 million tons of palm oil in the next five years in Bangladesh. Only the government support is required to set up at least one palm oil extraction mill. The government initiative will encourage private sector industrialists to set up other mills. I, therefore, like to urge the Ministry of Agriculture to set up a palm oil extraction mill under the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC).

Mohammad Ashraf Hossain

Ramna, Dhaka

[email protected]