Govt support sought to export farm machinery from Bogra
Bangladesh is missing out on a huge potential market in farm machinery due to the government's failure to support exports of domestically made equipment.
According to Sarker Badal, president of the Bogra district unit of Bangladesh Agricultural Machinery Merchants Association, a few engineering industries that spearheaded the manufacture of agricultural machinery in the district in the 1970s are now meeting 95 per cent of local demand.
This has meant that the import of farm machinery parts from China, Korea and Japan has been reduced.
For example a cylinder that previously cost Tk 1000 to import is now being sold at Tk 250 in Bogra, said Sarker, adding that in the 1980s the Milner's company sold a 4-inch width pump at Tk 5000. Now a locally produced pump of better quality is available at Tk 1600.
Bangladesh could earn foreign currency worth over Tk 50 crore every year if the government were to provide assistance for exporting the agricultural machinery to India legally, Sarker said.
Abdul Matin, proprietor of Rony Engineering Workshop, echoed this view. Farm machinery such as tubewells, cylinders, and pistons that are manufactured in as many as 230 light engineering industries in the district are now smuggled out to India through Jessore, Hili and other bordering areas, he said.
The smuggled cylinder sells at Tk 400 in India, while the item similar in quality is sold at Tk250 in Bogra.
According to the industry insiders, the size of business of farm machinery in the district is Tk 350 crore per annum. They sought government support to add further impetus to flourishing the industry.
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