Bangladesh holds the third position after China and India in terms of producing vegetables, according to the United Nations World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Many experts describe this success as a silent revolution in vegetable production over the last decade. At present, the country is producing about 60 different kinds of vegetables out of more than 500 varieties that are produced in the world. “The success does not come overnight, it almost took a decade to reach this position,” a high official of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) told this correspondent.
As per the DAE statistics, during the 2017-18 fiscal year, a total of 8,61,000 hectares of land is cultivated with vegetables in the country from where 15.95 million tonnes of vegetables were produced. At present, after meeting local demand, Bangladesh is exporting vegetables to more than 38 countries in the world. However, vegetable export statistics for the past five years show it is declining. On the other hand, vegetable seeds export has doubled during the same period.
According to ministry information, during 2013-14 fiscal, vegetable seeds export was 12.71 tonnes, which rose to 27.33 tonnes during 207-18 fiscal. Likewise, vegetable export during 2017-18 was 75,561 tonnes, which was 1,20,561.86 tons in 2013-14. Due to multiple use of crop cultivation methods the country produces more volumes of vegetable than before. It used to get maximum of two crops in a season from cultivating crops on the same land. This situation has now changed as the new practice can produce maximum of four crops in a year from using same land.
According to agriculture ministry information, from 2008-09 to 2017-18 fiscal, the ministry has taken 204 projects to develop and increase vegetable output. Of them, 153 projects have been completed, while 51 projects are now continuing. Ministry officials said, even the arable land of the country is decreasing, but with the latest innovation, such production is boosting. Science technology and biotechnology are now appropriately used in food production.
“Floating agriculture introduced in the recent past is well recognized by FAO in 2015. This is also announced as world heritage of the country in the same year,” a ministry official informed this correspondent. It was learned that the country’s vegetable has vast popularity abroad, export is also on the rise. According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) statistics, against the export target worth $3.70 crore, the country has earned $5.93 crore in the first six months of 2018-19 fiscal year. Mentionable, 60 percent of the vegetables are exported to the Middle East and rest 40 percent exported to Europe and other countries.
