Quality control lab for agro-processed foods  

Inadequate lab testing for quality control of food products for domestic as well as export markets has for long been a deterrent to the growth of the country's food processing industry. While lab testing is the only means to ensuring quality compliance of products, it is most crucial in case of food products. The international expo on processed foods that ended in the capital last week made it loud and clear that unless food items meant for export are not channelled through proper laboratory tests, Bangladesh's export market would continue to remain untapped, despite having high potential. This is more pronounced these days than in the past as the destination markets, especially those in the developed countries, are resorting to raising trade barriers. These are being done through stricter non-tariff measures on standards maintained, among others, in sanitary and phyto-sanitary aspects.

There is no point harping on the issue as an urgent requirement. Agro-processors know it well, and have been suffering on this count while exporting. However, not all overseas markets are equally sensitive, but most importing countries go by standard procedures with strict compliance norms. The country's agro-processors urged the government at the inaugural ceremony of the aforementioned expo to establish a quality control lab of international standard where processed food items would be tested to obtain better branding on the world market. The issue, in fact, is more than branding because unless products are able to access prospective markets, the question of branding is a far cry. More importantly, if an importing country comes up with an embargo owing to deficient quality control, the fallout would take its toll on the entire industry. One good suggestion that came from the President of the Bangladesh Agro-processors' Association (BAPA) at the opening function of the Expo was that the government should establish a world-class quality control lab on public-private partnership (PPP) basis. This should primarily aim at facilitating agro-processors to test their products and compete better on the global market.

Currently, Bangladeshi foods are being exported to as many as 130 countries ranging from the highly advanced to less advanced regions. However, their key markets, because of concentration of the country's migrant population, are the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, Malaysia and the Middle Eastern region. Reaching out to wider consumer groups will require that food products, especially the processed ones, come to terms with the compliance requirements of respective countries. The European Union (EU) being such a destination asks for fulfilment of its stringent compliance requirements. And to access markets like that of the EU, quality assurance would provide the opportunity of diversifying product range, besides assessing the market potential.

In this context, the issue of accredited labs is quite a pertinent one.   Human, technical and logistic resources may not always be enough to assure exporters of entry of their products into the target markets. What is important here is compatibility that can be ensured through accredited agencies, authorised to conduct tests as per strictly followed and monitored guidelines. It is high time the government looked into the matter and provided the desired boost in the agro-processing sector.