DAM and Apon Bazaar launch market linkage initiative

In a significant step towards improving nutrition and market efficiency, the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) under the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with Apon Bazaar, has inaugurated a new market linkage initiative aimed at distributing fresh, high-quality produce directly from Bangladeshi farmers to the country's industrial workforce.

This initiative marks the formal execution of the Letter of Agreement (LOA) signed earlier this year between DAM and Apon Bazaar. The goal is to ensure access to affordable, nutritious perishables for blue-collar workers while simultaneously expanding income opportunities for local farmers through fair, transparent, and efficient market systems.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mr. Nasir-Ud-Doula, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Marketing, as the Chief Guest. He officially launched the initiative alongside officials from DAM. He emphasized, "This initiative represents a commendable step toward establishing an effective market linkage that ensures fair pricing for both farmers and blue-collar workers. As a government institution, we recognize our responsibility to these communities, and we are pleased to fulfill that duty by supporting and facilitating this endeavor."

In attendance were directors and officials from DAM, suppliers, farmers, RMG workers, and members of Apon Bazaar.

Under DAM's supervision and technical guidance, the new distribution channel will operate in affiliated factories located in Dhaka, Savar, Narayanganj, Gazipur, and Chattogram. The initiative aims to ensure product traceability, food safety compliance, and fair pricing by eliminating unnecessary intermediaries, thereby improving efficiency in the supply chain. Initially, the initiative will focus on supplying potatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, and other fresh vegetables sourced directly from farmers. In the future, the initiative plans to expand to include other products such as rice, pulses, eggs, fish, and meat, ensuring affordable nutrition for industrial workers.

AponTech Ltd., through its impact-driven retail model Apon Bazaar, will serve as the operational partner, managing procurement, logistics, quality control, and last-mile delivery of the fresh produce to industrial workers.

This market linkage initiative is expected to scale across more industrial belts in the coming months, reinforcing the government's vision of a more inclusive and nutrition-sensitive agricultural sector.