Synopsis: Bangladesh and China's Fujian Province establish a government-to-government partnership to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, fertiliser supply, food processing, fisheries, renewable energy, and rural development.
Bangladesh and China's Fujian Province have agreed to establish a new government-to-government partnership aimed at expanding cooperation across agriculture, fertiliser supply, rural development, fisheries, food processing, and renewable energy.
The understanding was reached during a series of meetings held at the Bangladesh Secretariat, reflecting the two sides' commitment to strengthening long-term collaboration in the agricultural sector.
The discussions were attended by Bangladesh's Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid, Agriculture Secretary Dr Rafiqul E. Mohamed, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) Chairman Md. Azizul Islam, and Lin Guoshan, Secretary of the CPC Party Leadership Group and Director of the Fujian Provincial Supply and Marketing Cooperative. Both sides explored opportunities to enhance technology transfer, agricultural research, fertiliser security, cold-chain infrastructure, agricultural modernisation, and sustainable rural development.
A key outcome of the meeting was the emphasis on renewing the existing diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser supply agreement between the Government of Bangladesh, Banyan International Trading Limited, and Fujian Funong Agricultural Means of Production Group.
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The Chinese delegation urged an early renewal of the agreement to ensure uninterrupted fertiliser supplies ahead of Bangladesh's September-October procurement season. Bangladesh informed the delegation that the renewal process is already underway and is expected to be completed shortly to support the country's upcoming fertiliser procurement programme.
Beyond fertiliser cooperation, Bangladesh expressed interest in adopting Fujian's advanced agricultural technologies to improve domestic food production, particularly rice cultivation. The Chinese delegation highlighted the province's hybrid rice varieties and scientific farming techniques, noting their potential to significantly enhance crop productivity. Discussions also covered technical assistance for value-added food processing, including jackfruit products, as well as collaboration in crab hatcheries, commercial aquaculture, and modern fish farming.
The two sides also explored cooperation in renewable energy, with Bangladesh outlining plans to gradually convert more than 200,000 electricity- and diesel-powered irrigation pumps into solar-powered systems. Additional areas of collaboration include waste management, safe drinking water, rural infrastructure, and integrated agricultural services.
The Fujian delegation reaffirmed China's willingness to expand grant-funded development assistance and strengthen long-term cooperation with Bangladesh across agriculture, education, scientific research, fisheries, and technology, reinforcing the growing strategic partnership between the two sides.