Sylhet cold storage capacity to be set by export goods and cargo capacity: commerce minister’s directive

Photo: Collected

The capacity of the Sylhet packing house-cum-cold storage must be determined by taking into account the volume of exportable agricultural produce and cargo transport capacity. Commerce, Industries, and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir gave this directive on Friday at a meeting to review the project’s construction work.

The minister said the necessary infrastructure and ancillary facilities need to be ensured in the project so that every stage of the produce, from storage through to export, remains uninterrupted.

At the meeting he also said that, when determining the capacity of the cold storage’s various chambers, importance must be given to the volume of exportable produce and the demand for transporting goods by cargo. Storage and transport arrangements must be kept in such a way that, after goods have been sent off on one cargo flight, preparation of the next consignment is not disrupted.

As a way of reducing wastage of agricultural produce, the commerce minister also advised taking an initiative to produce organic fertiliser at the packing house from the leftovers of vegetables and other agricultural produce. In his view, this will reduce wastage and at the same time make it possible to turn waste into a resource.

An expert committee has been formed to review the project’s activities and make the necessary recommendations. It includes experts from various universities, officials of the agricultural extension and agricultural marketing departments, and the engineers concerned. The committee will make its recommendations after reviewing the project’s infrastructure, operating system and export-related facilities.

Prime Minister’s Adviser Zahir Uddin Swapan, Department of Agricultural Marketing Deputy Director Julia Jesmin Mili, and officials of various government offices and political leaders were present at the meeting.