Government plans to make Sylhet a main vegetable production and export centre: commerce minister in Sylhet Sadar

The government wants to turn Sylhet into one of the country's main vegetable production and export centres. Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said importance is being given to modernising agriculture, planned year-round vegetable production, use of farm machinery, improving storage systems and exports to international markets to achieve that goal.

He made the remarks on Tuesday (October 27) as chief guest at a programme distributing farm machinery at subsidised prices and LLPs free of cost at the Sylhet Sadar Upazila Auditorium. The Upazila Administration and the Department of Agricultural Extension, Sylhet Sadar, organised the programme under the 'Flood Reconstruction Emergency Assistance Project'.

The minister said an initiative has been taken to turn Sylhet into one of the country's main vegetable production and export centres. For that, importance is being given to modernising agriculture, planned year-round vegetable production, solving irrigation and waterlogging problems and building systems to store agricultural products.

He said the goal is to bring all farmland in Sylhet Sadar Upazila under cultivation throughout the year. Necessary initiatives, including canal excavation, are being taken for that. Farm machinery distributed with government subsidies must be used properly so that farmers benefit from the machines.

Highlighting Sylhet's vegetable export potential, the minister said there is an opportunity to export Sylhet's vegetables to markets of expatriates living in various countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and Italy. To use that opportunity, production planning, maintaining product quality and improving packaging and storage are essential.

He said an initiative is being taken to set up a packaging house and cold storage in the Sylhet airport area. Planning will identify which vegetables are suitable for production in which area in which season. Through that, it will be possible to maintain year-round vegetable supply and increase export opportunities in international markets.

The commerce minister expressed hope that visible change will come to Sylhet's agriculture and development in the next five years.

Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun chaired the programme, where special guests included Sylhet Development Authority chairman Rezaul Hasan Qayes Lodi, Sylhet Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Khoshnur Rubaiyat, Sylhet city BNP president Nasim Hossain and Sylhet Divisional Sports Association member secretary Siddiqur Rahman Paplu.

Officials of various government departments, political leaders and journalists were also present. On the day, the minister also distributed water purification filters to government primary schools in Sylhet Sadar Upazila.