One district one product project on the move

The government has primarily selected three products to develop under a "one district one product (ODOP)" scheme, which was chalked out to diversify the country's export basket.

Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of the government has selected agarwood of Moulvibazar, clay tiles of Satkhira, and rubber of Chittagong Hill Tracts to develop for attaining global standards and enhancing productivity.

The concept of ODOP was developed from the "One Village One Product" movement of Japan launched in 1989, which became successful and later was followed by a number of countries across the world.

"We have already made a plan, which is now awaiting approval of the commerce ministry, to develop these products," said Shahab Ullah, vice chairman of EPB.

EPB officials said there is a huge demand for these products in the global market and Bangladesh has a potential to cater to the demand.

But now the country is failing to tap the potential because of poor expertise and absence of proper communication with the export market.

The EPB officials said the clay tiles of Satkhira have a huge demand in the European market but the local artisans are not capable enough for maintaining international standards.

In this context, EPB plans to assign consultants who would make the local artisans aware of the quality and train them in line with the export market requirements.

About 60 percent tiles break while burning if the clay for the tiles is not properly selected.

The experts will identify which type of clay is ideal for producing tiles, said an EPB official.

EPB has also found a huge demand for perfumes made from agarwood but the problems are inadequate trees and the indigenous production method.

"In the present method farmers hammer nail in agar trees, which is a very lengthy process. We have come to know about a kit being used instead of nail, which we would try to give to the farmers," said the EPB official.

Experts in the field will also conduct research to enhance production of such perfume.

The ODOP project will also take initiatives to improve the quality of rubber produced in the country.

The EPB officials said the project was undertaken in the backdrop of a huge flow of rural population for jobs to the urban areas where most of the industrial units are located.

The project aims at creating employment opportunities locally through enhancing skill of the local artisans.

Another aim of the project is to reduce the country's export vulnerability since only six major export items now account for 90 percent of the country's total export earning.

For exporting garment products, manufacturers need to import a huge amount of raw materials, while items to be developed under ODOP project will be made of hundred percent local products, the EPB officials said.

"At first we had selected 14 products to develop under the project but the government approved three items since it could be burdensome to deal with many products at a time," said EPB Director (Commodities) Omar Faruq.

kawsar@thedailystar.net