RAJSHAHI, Oct 21, 2022 (BSS)- More investment, including foreign ones, towards agriculture and its processing sector in the region can be the best way of making the sector more value added and vibrant.

Masudur Rahman, President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said adequate investment to the potential sector can also contribute a lot to vibrating the region’s economic condition.

In an exclusive interview at his office on Wednesday, he told BSS that the agricultural sector will fetch an unprecedented success for the region if the investment were enhanced substantially.

In this context, he attributed that the under-construction Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib High-tech Park here could be one of the effective means of flourishing the agro-based economy.

Prospect of agro-processing enterprises is bright in the region as it produces surplus crops especially food-grains, fruits and vegetables.

Vegetables like potato, cauliflower, tomato, white gourd, bean, spinach, puin, pea and baby corn are produced in the region in large amounts side by side with broccoli, carrot, celery, capsicum and strawberry.

Chamber leader Rahman said time has come to consider the issue of foreign investment in Rajshahi’s agriculture together with finding out the existing problems and prospects and reasonable solution in this regard.

He viewed that farmers-friendly banking has become crucial for accelerating the agro-based economy thereby the agricultural products can enrich the export-list more besides minimising the existing gap between export and import.

Rahman mentioned that the Bangabandhu Multipurpose Jamuna Bridge contributes a lot in improving communication in the region, creating wider scopes for increased production of cereals, fruits, vegetables and livestock over the years.

In fact, this has opened up many opportunities for agro- business in the region.

The chamber leader called for upgrading the Rajshahi Airport, making it an outlet for directly exporting the processed agri-products, fresh vegetables and fruits to different Middle Eastern and European countries

He termed industrialization as the most relevant indicator of the region’s progress and prosperity.

The present government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is committed to flourish the business sector.

So, all the public and private sectors concerned should come forward and work together to supplement the government endeavors of balanced development of the country.

Quoting various research findings and official records, agriculturist Rabiul Alam, executive director of Agriculture Sustainable and Socio-Economic Development Organisation (ASSEDO), here said the overall volume of total foreign investment in Rajshahi is very negligible

But it's very essential towards minimising the existing gap between export and import.

Referring to the existing statistics in various developed and developing countries he said foreign investment is always supportive towards rising labourers' value besides boosting their competent numbers.

Alam underscored the need for setting up agro-processing industries to ensure maximum utilisation of agricultural products.

Terming industrialization as the most relevant indicator of the region's progress and prosperity he said establishment of agro-processing industries would encourage the farmers to grow more high valued products for their higher income.

Jahangir Alam Khan, Project Coordinator of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), said the region has enormous potential for making agro-processing enterprises sustainable and profitable.

He focused on the potentials in agricultural sectors with special emphasis on value added agro-processing opportunities and agro-based industries.

Terming adequate promotion of business and investment as vital means of making the region economically prosperous, the development activist said priority should be given on identification of existing problems and prospects relating to the business environment here.

He said the export list should be enriched with the induction of new products because a region like Rajshahi cannot be developed through exporting a limited number of goods.