BD to be self-sufficient in milk in 5-yrs

An int’l standard research lab has been set up to ensure the quality of livestock resources production and animal foods SM Rezaul Karim

Staff Correspondent: Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim yesterday said Bangladesh will be self-sufficient in milk production within five years.
“Bangladesh will be self-sufficient in milk production within four to five years …as the country has become self-sufficient in meat and egg production,” he said taking part in a virtual meeting organized by the SAARC Agricultural Center.
“An international standard research lab has been set up to ensure the quality of livestock resources production and animal foods,” he said.
The minister also urged the countries under the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to work together for the growth, and development of the livestock sector in South Asian region.
“Policy coordination and guidelines for enhancing regional trade for livestock, and animal products are very much significant in the SAARC region for the welfare of the South Asian nations,” he said.
Many SAARC countries are not only self-sufficient in animal protein production, but these countries also playing important role in maintaining the global supply chain of the animal protein through export, he added.
Referring to the importance of the livestock sector in self-employment, foreign currency income and women empowerment, Karim said “Bangladesh has achieved tremendous success in livestock development for the last twelve years under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”
Chaired by SAARC Agricultural Center Director Dr M Bakhtiar Hossain, the meeting also was attended, among others, by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC)’s Executive Chairman Dr Sheikh Mohammad Bakhtiar, Bhutanese Agriculture and Food Control Authority’s Director General Dr Tashi Samdup, entrepreneurs, professionals, and livestock sector experts of the SAARC member countries.