Experts Call for Stronger Potato Value Chain to Boost Global Competitiveness
Experts have stressed the need for strategic prioritisation, technological solutions, and effective policy support to strengthen every stage of Bangladesh’s potato business—from production to marketing—in order to secure a competitive position in the global market.
The observations were made at a seminar held on Saturday, December 13, during Potato Festival 2025. Organised for the first time by the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association (BCSA), the festival is being hosted at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital.
At the fair, a variety of potato-based food products were showcased at the stall of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). Speaking on the sidelines, ATM Tanjimul Islam, Chief Scientific Officer of BARI’s Tuber Crops Research Centre, said that potato flakes are mainly used as an alternative to flour, enabling most flour-based food products to be produced using potatoes.
He further noted that nearly 200 potato varieties are currently cultivated in Bangladesh, of which 106 varieties have been developed by BARI, while the rest are innovations by private institutions.
Later in the afternoon, a seminar titled “Strengthening Bangladesh’s Potato Value Chain: Strategic Priorities, Technological Solutions and Policy Pathways for Global Competitiveness” was held at the fair venue. Dr. Md. Mahmudur Rahman, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, attended the seminar as a special guest. The keynote paper was presented by Dr. M. Masrur Riaz, Chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh.
The panel discussion featured Dr. Abdur Rahim, Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural Sciences at Daffodil International University; agricultural economist and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Global Village (UGV) Dr. Jahangir Alam; and Dr. Khurshid Alam, Chief Scientific Officer of BARI, Gazipur.
Speakers emphasised that improving post-harvest management, developing modern cold-chain infrastructure, expanding the potato processing industry, ensuring export-grade quality standards, and strengthening coordinated policy support could enable Bangladesh to establish a strong foothold in the global potato-based products market.
The seminar was moderated by Rajib H. Chowdhury, Senior Vice-President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and Director of the Bangladesh Cold Storage Association.
In this context, speakers explained that the potato value chain refers to the entire process through which value is added—from seed production and cultivation to harvesting, processing (such as chips and French fries), cold storage, transportation, marketing, and finally delivery to consumers.
DBTech / DM / EK / OR
