Improved storage facilities have enabled Bangladesh to avoid onion imports this year, with the government expecting to end its dependence on imported onions altogether, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said on Saturday.
“There will be no need to import even a single kilogram of onions in the future,” he said while inaugurating the country’s first large-scale gamma irradiation centre at the regional research centre of the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) in Bhabanipur, Gazipur.
The minister said technological limitations had long prevented Bangladesh, despite its strong agricultural base, from turning agriculture into a major export-earning sector.
The government was working to overcome those constraints and unlock the sector’s export potential, making agriculture a significant source of foreign currency earnings, he added.
Describing gamma irradiation as a breakthrough for agricultural preservation and exports, Amin Ur Rashid said the technology would help make the country’s agricultural products safer and more competitive in international markets.
It can extend the shelf life of fruits and crops, reduce spoilage and eliminate harmful microorganisms, helping Bangladesh meet international food safety and quality standards, he said.
The minister said mangoes, jackfruit and pineapples had considerable demand in international markets, but Bangladesh had been unable to fully exploit their export potential because of challenges in meeting international standards and safety requirements.
The government plans to establish similar irradiation facilities in all districts in phases to minimise post-harvest losses and improve market access for farmers, he said.
On food safety, the minister said imported food products were being subjected to strict quality testing. Imports of any food item found harmful to public health would be stopped immediately, he added.
The 500,000-curie gamma irradiation centre, established under BINA, is expected to eliminate harmful bacteria and pathogens in agricultural products, reduce post-harvest losses and improve the quality of export-bound goods, according to BINA officials.
The facility will support the preservation of onions, potatoes, fruits and other agricultural products, while strengthening quality control and quarantine testing for export consignments.
It is also expected to reduce wastage of seasonal produce, including carrots, capsicums and fruits, by enabling better preservation and processing, helping farmers secure fair prices for their produce.
According to BINA, China Isotope and Radiation Corporation (CIRC), a state-owned Chinese company, won the contract to build the facility through an international tender in 2024.
The project is CIRC’s first major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) undertaking in Bangladesh.