$2.4bn in veggies wasted yearly; youth urged into farming

They said that Bangladesh's market for vegetables, fruits, and flowers is growing steadily.

In the first nine months of FY2024–25 (July–March), the country earned $55.6 million from vegetable exports and $39.1 million from fruit and flower exports.

Despite this momentum, Bangladesh remains far behind regional peers such as China, Thailand, and Vietnam in agri-exports—primarily due to structural inefficiencies and weak management systems in production.

To unlock the sector's full potential, speakers at the Bangladesh Agro Conclave 2025 emphasized the need for increased youth engagement, stronger public-private partnerships, and coordinated policy and investment initiatives.

The event, titled “Bangladesh Agro Conclave 2025: Unlocking Bangladesh’s Agri-Potential for Global Competitiveness and Sustainable Growth,” was held at Hotel in Dhaka on Sunday, jointly organised by international consultancy Lightcastle Partners and the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation (SAF), a global development organisation.

Keynote presenter Shubham Roy, revealed that around 20–40% of vegetables produced in Bangladesh are wasted annually, resulting in an estimated $2.4 billion in financial losses.

For fruits and vegetables, 20–35% are lost before export due to inefficiencies in the supply chain.

Chief guest Dr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the government’s commitment to inclusive and technology-driven agriculture.

He said that the government is finalizing the ‘Agriculture Future Outlook Plan 2025’, aimed at scaling modern technology to the grassroots. A key initiative under this plan is the ‘Khamari App’, designed to provide farmers with real-time crop management tools and market information.

Dr. M. A. Sattar Mandal, Emeritus Professor and former Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Agricultural University, stressed the dual challenge of increasing food production for an additional 15 million people, while overcoming the constraints posed by fragmented agricultural land. He emphasized the need for innovation-led solutions to structural bottlenecks, reports UNB.

The event featured three panel discussions: session 1 on charting the path towards global export market, moderated by Bijon Islam, CEO of LightCastle Partners; session 2 on empowering women and youth in agri-food enterprise development was moderated by Md. Abdur Rouf, Director, Program Development, SAF, and the final session on food safety, traceability, and cold chain management was, moderated by Zahedul Amin, Managing Director, Lightcastle Partners.