Russia advises govt to build cold store to boost potato exports
Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Nikolaev yesterday proposed constructing a cold store in Chittagong to export disease-free potatoes to Russia.
Potato exports from Bangladesh to Russia are on the rise as demand is high, Nikolaev told reporters after a meeting with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed at the latter's secretariat office in Dhaka.
“But Bangladesh needs to check sanitary and phytosanitary measures strictly to increase potato exports to Russia,” Nikolaev said. The Russian sanitary and phytosanitary checks are stricter than in the EU, he added.
This is a good time to increase Bangladesh's export volumes to Russia as some countries have imposed a sanction on Russia, he said.
“If the Bangladesh government allows construction of the cold store, the Russian potato importers will help in tests on the crop, reserved in the cold storage.”
In addition, Bangladesh has an opportunity to export garment items, jute and jute goods, shrimps, leather, home textile and ceramics items, he said.
“Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and the Russian Federation will cross the $1 billion mark at the end of 2014. Bilateral trade was $807 million at the end of the current year.”
Bangladesh's exports to Russia rose to $283.35 million in fiscal 2013-14 from $208.29 million a year ago, according to data from the commerce ministry.
Bangladesh imported goods worth $286.4 million from Russia in fiscal 2013-14 from $335.3 million in the previous fiscal year.
On the country's export potential, Ahmed said some tough provisions by Russian customs unions are acting as barriers to higher exports from Bangladesh.
“I will visit Russia soon to discuss the issues with the Russian government, so that we can export more to this country.”
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