Thrust on linkage industry for vegetables production

A three-day 'National Vegetable Fair-2019' begins in the capital today (Thursday) to encourage people to consume more vegetables.
The main theme of the 4th fair is 'safe vegetable would be cultivated to make nutrition available for round the year' (Nirapad Sabji Karbo Chash, Pusti Milbe Baro Mash). The fair will conclude on January 26, reports BSS.
Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque is scheduled to inaugurate the fair at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) at Farmgate in the city.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi and Krishibid Abdul Mannan MP (Bogra-1) will attend the fair as the special guests.
About the vegetable fair, Dr Nurul Islam, Director of Agriculture Information Services (AIS) of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said: "We are organising the fair along with the private organisations with an objective to produce safe and quick vegetable, make vegetable production technology popular among the people and ensure the export of the vegetables."
The fair will exhibit more than hundred varieties of vegetables which already have been procured from the farmers level by various organisations under the agriculture ministry, said the AIS official.
The government should stress on developing forward and backward linkage in vegetable production and management so that the people can get fresh vegetable and vegetable products round the year, said Abul Kalam Azad, Director General of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI).
The country is now producing more than 10 million metric tonnes of potatoes, but the country's consumption is not more than 8.0-9.0 million tonnes, he said, adding that the excess potatoes need to be brought under process.
Quoting a recent survey by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the BARI DG said: "We need to take around 300 grams of vegetable per capita in a day, but the per capita vegetable intake is now not more than 150 grams for whole the year."
The vegetable fair can play a positive role in changing food habit as our per capita rice consumption declined from 465 grams in a day to 448 grams due to higher vegetable consumption, said M Manzurul Hannan, Managing Director of Hortex Foundation.
The fair will starts from 9:00 am and will continue till 9:00 pm. The fair will have 71 stalls and five pavilions.
On the opening day, a rally will start from the south plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad at 9.30 am and it will come to an end on the KIB premises after visiting different thoroughfares.
The programme includes seminars, bringing out of supplements in different major dailies and cultural functions.
After the inaugural session, a seminar will be held at 11 am at KIB auditorium. Dr Golam Morshed Abdul Halim, Director of Horticulture Research Center of BARI, will present a keynote paper.
Former Planning Commission member and ex-vice-chancellor of Bangladesh Agriculture University Dr M A Sattar Mondol, former Managing Director of Hortex Foundation dr M Abdul Jalil will remain present at the opening session. Agriculture Secretary M Nasiruzzaman will preside over the function.