Germ infected potato exports

Mahfuja Mukul: Potatoes produced in the country contain harmful bacteria. Due to this, obstacles are being created in the export of potatoes abroad, said Chairman of Bangladesh Safe Food Authority. Abdul Qayyum.
He said this at a press conference office yesterday. This press conference was organized on the occasion of ‘Food and Chemical Lab Expo 2022’. Abdul Qayyum said, the potatoes that are being produced in our country have been tested and found to have a type of bacteria inside them. which other countries do not accept. The problem lies in the quality of the potatoes we produce. Now they are trying to produce potatoes of that quality by bringing seeds from the countries where potatoes are produced. Then maybe that germ won’t be there. Then all those countries will easily take potatoes from our country.
They tested the germs in the lab. I found it really not worth exporting. We don’t know if it happens in our country. In fact, they check everything.
He said, first we had many problems with shrimp. We are able to ensure that standard by taking all measures as advised by the European Union. Now they are accepting based on the certificate that is going from us.
Member of Bangladesh Safe Food Authority (Food Consumption and Consumer Rights) present at the press conference in response to a question from journalists. Rezaul Karim said, we have tried many times to send potatoes to Russia, European Union. The soil of our country has some problems. Because of this we cannot ship to Russia.
In response to another question from the journalists, Rezaul Karim said that each country, each caste, each area has its own character. What is not harmful to us, may be harmful to another area. It is difficult to eliminate in a day or a moment. We don’t have it for now, but our foreign friends are not used to it.
In response to the same question, Abdul Qayyum said that we are not eating potatoes raw. I am eating boiled potatoes. Therefore, germs no longer enter our body. The thing is when I am exporting potatoes, raw potatoes. When foreigners receive my potato, they check whether it is suitable for their country. That’s when the bacteria came out in the potato.
In the press conference, about the obstacles in the export of mangoes. Abdul Qayyum said, the apples that come to our country have stickers attached to them. By scanning the barcode of that sticker, you can see where the apple was collected from which orchard. But it is not possible to collect any information about where our mangoes are collected from.
Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project Director Michael J Parr, Bangladesh Safe Food Authority Member (Public Health and Nutrition) Manzoor Morshed Ahmed and Bangladesh TED Facilitation Project Technical Consultant Kamrun Nahar were also present.