Bangladesh among top 10 global producers in 13 sectors: livestock minister

Bangladesh has achieved the top 10 places in the world in 13 sectors including fish production, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim said today.

Among them, the country is the first in hilsa production in the world, the third in rice production, the third in indoor open water fish production, the fifth in closed water fish production, the fourth in Black Bengal goat production, the third in vegetable production and the sixth in potato production, the minister said.

Karim was speaking at the inaugural session of a virtual discussion on expanding regional trade in livestock and livestock products in the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) region organised by the SAARC Agriculture Centre.

He said in the last 12 years, Bangladesh has made unprecedented progress in the livestock sector. Bangladesh is now self-sufficient in meat and egg production and will become self-sufficient in milk production in 4-5 years, Karim said.

Due to the huge success of the poultry and dairy sector, the Government of Bangladesh is emphasizing diversification and export of animal feed, he said.

The minister also said that the coordination of guidelines and policies is very important in expanding the regional trade of livestock and livestock products in the SAARC region for regional food security, economy and livelihood and for the health and welfare of the people of South Asia.