Japan keen to import potato from Bangladesh: Agri minister

Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque has said a Japanese company is willing to import potatoes from Bangladesh.

Seiya Kadou, top official of the Japanese company, expressed his interest to import Valencia variety of potatoes from Bangladesh during a meeting with Agriculture Minister Md Abdur Razzak at Westin Hotel in Tokyo on Thursday (27 April).

ACI Agribusiness President FH Ansari was also present at the meeting. 

"The decision to declare potatoes as a non-regulated crop or denotify them was made to facilitate the introduction of privately imported improved varieties. The cultivation of these exportable potato varieties has created a significant opportunity for potato exports," said the minister.

Samples of Valencia variety potatoes from Bangladesh were tested in a Japanese laboratory, Japanese company official Seiya Kado said, adding that the tests showed that this type of potato is of high quality and delicious in taste. 

In 2020, after the declaration of potatoes as a non-regulated crop, ACI Seed registered ACI Potato-10 (Valencia) potato seed, imported from the Netherlands. This variety contains approximately 21% dry matter and is well-suited for industrial purposes.