Good agricultural practices key to boosting agri-exports

Agriculture in Bangladesh is gradually changing from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture. As a result, products such as dragon fruit, tangerine, orange, strawberry, coffee, cashew nut, melon etc are being cultivated in this country. Although we are in a very good position in agricultural production, we are still lagging behind in the export market.

To have a good position in the export market we need to focus on two things – implementing good agricultural practices (GAP) and ensuring the testing of products in the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) accredited laboratories before export. If these two practices can be adopted successfully, it would be possible to increase the export of agricultural products several times.

We earn maximum foreign exchange from the readymade garments sector because we can manufacture products as per the foreign buyers' demands. So, why cannot our hardworking farmers produce crops focusing on foreign demands for export?

Of course, farmers in our country can produce crops as they are told. But to increase exports, one has to focus on practising good agricultural practices. Foreigners can invest in agricultural production in poly house, net house, and greenhouse or in the fields and import the produce to their country. With such government initiatives farmers will get fair prices for their agricultural produce and the country will earn foreign exchange. As a result, the farmers will be benefitted.

To meet the demand of an increasing population, we use high-yielding and hybrid varieties as well as chemical fertilisers and pesticides in large quantities to increase food production. Sometimes organic fertilisers mixed with heavy metals or chemicals harmful to human health are also used. To get rid of this situation, we have to focus on organic agriculture.

The issue of safe food has become increasingly important for human health and economic considerations. It is essential to produce safe food to protect people from diseases as well as to compete in global export markets. For this, it is necessary to follow good agricultural practices (GAP) in all steps of food production including production, collection, post-collection, processing, packaging, transportation etc. Good agricultural practices contribute to safe and quality food production as well as environmental and social development.

Good agricultural practices encourage moderate use of pesticides, organic and chemical fertilisers, water etc and environmentally friendly management. The health of those who are involved in agricultural production must be saved from the improper use of pesticides and different types of chemicals.

Most importers, retailers, food manufacturers, hotels and restaurants, and consumers consider following good agricultural practices as a prerequisite from the production stage to ensure product quality and safety. In implementing these practices, it is very important that uniform and correct procedures are followed in all cases by the certification body so that there is no bias. It would ensure consumers' confidence.

History of GAP

Good agricultural practices (GAP) were first introduced in 1997 as the European GAP by the super shops and major suppliers in Europe, which was later renamed as Global GAP in 2007. At the regional level, the ASEAN GAP was introduced in 2006 by the ASEAN Secretariat to the member countries. 

The GAP scheme was launched in 2013-14 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in four SAARC countries- Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal to produce horticulture vegetables and fruits. As a result, national GAP standards, scheme owner organisations and certification systems were initially formulated in these countries.

Following good agricultural practices or GAP is essential for safe crop production and access to the export markets to survive in global competition. As a result of the implementation of the GAP in Bangladesh, the agricultural products produced in the country will be safe. It will also ensure the quality of the products and food and nutrition security. 

Further, it would speed up economic growth by maintaining a sustainable environment. Bangladesh prepared the Bangladesh Good Agricultural Practices Policy 2020 which has been effective since 2020.

Importance of GAP in safe crop production

Along with globalisation, the demands for diverse food have increased and a global safe food market has emerged. As a result, the export and import of food from one country to another have also increased. However, it has posed a major threat to public health through the spread of pathogens in the food chain. In this context, strict restrictions are being imposed on the import and export of food by various countries.

Photo: MumitM

The food safety-related factors in agricultural production include the residues of chemicals, the presence of pollutants, insects, disease-causing microorganisms, external contamination, etc. The presence of other substances in food such as heavy metals or toxins is also an issue. The cornerstone of good agricultural practices is to follow specific practices at all levels of the food chain.

To ensure good agricultural practices, it is necessary to properly record and store the details of all activities of the food chain. The farmers and other workers should be involved in this process. The manufacturers must ensure that their products are safe and harmless as food. Besides the producers, people involved in packaging, delivery, transportation, storing etc all have the responsibility to keep the food safe.

The basic features of good agricultural practices are healthy production, maintaining food safety and quality, environmental protection, cleanliness, the health of agricultural workers, documentation, issuance of certification and use of logo, training, ensuring markets, monitoring, promotion and dissemination.

Importance of GAP in exports

The yield of various types of fruits and vegetables is increasing in the country. So, it is time to export these products abroad. For this, we need to implement good agricultural practices or GAP.

The laboratories play an important role in implementing the GAP. They are important for testing the quality of the crops before export.

The Central Packing House has been involved in the export of around 100 agricultural products in Europe through non-compliance. The volume of these exports and the reputation of the products are increasing in those countries. With the efforts of the parties concerned including the agriculture ministry, farmers and exporters, the export of fresh vegetables and fruits is expected to increase. Due to the agriculture-friendly policy of the present government, the country has achieved great success in the production of grains as well as vegetables and fruits.

However, even though there is a huge potential for exporting agricultural products, we are failing to fully utilise that opportunity. Bangladesh is a member state of the World Trade Organisation and a signatory to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). Therefore, it is mandatory to follow the provisions of the WTO-SPS Agreement in international trade besides protecting the country's agriculture to ensure food security for its large population.

In the last financial year, Bangladesh earned $0.1 billion by exporting agricultural products, although the income from fresh vegetables was only $0.5 million, which is very low. It is possible to increase the amount by producing vegetables and fruits by following the export regulations and testing them in ISO-accredited laboratories.

In 2014, the government established the Central Packing House to reduce the rate of non-compliance in the export of agricultural products in the EU countries under the phytosanitary capacity strengthening project in Shyampur, Dhaka. The operation of the Central Packing House began with the export of mangoes to the European Union in May of the same year. In 2017, fruit and vegetable export activities were completed from this packing house without any non-compliance.

But currently, the countries in the European Union and other developed countries are emphasising the GAP, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and ISO-accredited labs. The Bangladesh government has undertaken this project to export agricultural products to developed countries without hindrance. Through the phytosanitary capacity strengthening project, the plant quarantine laboratory set up in the central packing house is being converted into an international standard laboratory.

The project aims at increasing exports by 25-30% by setting up international standard labs to supply agricultural products as per the conditions of the importing countries, creating around 40 skilled persons who would be able to use modern technology to detect pests in export products. The project also wants to ensure agricultural exports to various countries in Europe and the Middle East by maintaining international standards.

The physical infrastructure works of the project are nearing completion. Once the laboratory equipment is procured and installed, the lab will be operational and will give a new boost to our agricultural exports.

The author is the project director of the Upgradation of Existing Plant Quarantine Laboratory at Central Packing House to International Standard Project of the Department of Agricultural Extension