BD-Canada trade hits CAD$1.8b in ‘13

The bilateral trade between Canada and Bangladesh hit more than CAD $1.8 billion in 2013, with agricultural commodities accounting for 68 per cent of Canadian exports.
Bangladesh imported Canadian agricultural products including wheat and lentil worth CAD $ 528 million in 2013. The imports were 54 per cent higher than that of the previous year.
Bangladesh's exports to Canada reached CAD $ 1.12 billion in 2013 with readymade garment (RMG) products accounting for 95 per cent.
The figures were disclosed at a seminar organised by Asia Agro International, a local canola oil importer, with the help of the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka on "Bangladesh - An Emerging Market for Alberta's Agriculture and AgriFood Products," in the city on Tuesday.
Canada, one of the world's largest agro-product producing countries, has identified Bangladesh as an emerging market for canola products including oil.
Canola has the least saturated fat of any culinary oil containing no trans-fat or cholesterol and it can be used to make renewable, clean burning and biodegradable alternative to diesel fuel-called bio-diesel.
High Commissioner of Canada in Bangladesh Heather Cruden addressed the seminar, attended by Etienne van Straaten and Grant Winton of the government of Alberta.
Among others, Professor Sufia Rahman of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohammad Shahjahan Khan and President of CanCham, Bangladesh, Masudur Rahman, were present at the seminar.
Grant Winton said Canadian canola products are in high demand worldwide as modern technology and international standard are maintained keeping in mind the buyers' expectation.
The United States, Japan, China, Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and other Pacific Rim countries import canola oil, seed and meal from Canada, he added.
He, however, said the shelf price of canola oil might be higher because of transportation costs, but there is an option of producing canola oil in Bangladesh by importing canola seeds from Canada.
Addressing the seminar, the high commissioner said besides canola, Canada is one of the top three wheat exporters on the planet, and the world's largest producer of high-protein milling wheat.

smunima@yahoo.com