Vegetable Sector
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Bangladesh is the third largest vegetable producer in the world. In Asia, it is the largest producer of vegetables. According to Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), vegetable consumption increased significantly but still it’s lower than the expectation. In this regard, seeds play the most important role for sustainable crop production. Quality seeds can increase 15-20 percent yield potentiality. This is true for all crops including vegetables. Regarding the scenario, we also have enormous scope of marketing quality vegetable seeds in local market as the market increasing day by day. As we have worked intensively for more than fifteen years in this sector, we have excellent network with the relevant market actors. We know the mindset of these market actors very well. We have depth knowledge about the constraints and therefore possible solutions for the market. In addition, we have well trained, experienced and skillful resources all over the country who have excellent capabilities to penetrate market quickly by identifying exact leverage points. To utilize above mentioned skill, knowledge, experience and resources, we have initiated seed marketing business as well. For vegetable seed marketing, we have the following plans in our to do list;
1. Import quality vegetable seeds from reputed and trusted principal companies for marketing
2. Set multi location trials to understand suitability and competitiveness
3. Import quality vegetable seeds in bulk amount or company’s own pack
4. Pack these imported bulk seeds in attractive packet according to market demands (e.g; 5gm, 10gm, 20gm, 100gm etc.)
5. Introduce selected varieties to relevant market actors through promotional activities, demonstrations, meetings, trainings and campaigning
6. Recruit the best people for marketing and train them to compete the market scenario as well as equipped them to prepare for future agricultural trends
7. Market quality vegetable seeds in all parts of Bangladesh through a sustainable supply system
8. Develop at least 100000 ambassador farmer
9. Turn the market in favor of farmers and wholesalers through initializing “Grow to sell” concept
10. Ensure quality vegetable seeds to marginal farmers through group approach
11. Develop linkages with different national and international development agencies who has agriculture focused project
12. Develop a sustainable vegetable market systems around the value chai
Potato Sector
Bangladesh is the 7th largest potato producing country in the world. Also, potato is the 3rd largest crop in Bangladesh after rice and maize. During our sub-sector analysis under Local Agri-business Network (LAN) project few years earlier, we have found that, farmers’ are produces mostly fresh potatoes for the local market. In the year 2020-2021, 11 million metric tons of potato produced in Bangladesh. On the contrary, cold storages are insufficient for storing such amount of potato. So, most of the farmer goes to sell their potato from the field. So many middlemen and farias (small traders) take this situation as advantage and buy these potatoes comparatively in less price. End result is, farmers are depriving from expected profit and considering their situation as unfavorable for potato production. In this regard, if we introduce few suitable industrial varieties simultaneously with fresh potatoes to the market, plenty of farmers can take this opportunity as their favor due to confirmed buy back guarantee from the processing companies from the field. As we have experienced, there is huge opportunity for industrial potato varieties in terms of starch, chips and french-fries as demands are growing day by day in national and international market. To address the situation demand and to bring a systemic change in this sector, Planten Agro Ltd. has initiated an agro based venture in potato sector targeting the following market opportunities;
1. Search suitable processing and table potato varieties
2. Collect sample seeds and set trials using government facility as well as farmer’s level targeting northern and southern part of Bangladesh to check the results and suitability considering local climate and practice
3. Demonstrate the trial results to the farmers’, seed traders and processing companies
4. If the results are better from the existing other varieties then finalize the varieties as suitable for different segments (Fresh, starch, chips and french-fries)
5. Sign a formal contract or agreement with the principal company who provided these seeds
6. Import foundation seeds and multiply these seeds to certified seed through contract farming under close supervision
7. Establishing of a high-tech cold storage system
8. Produce required processing and fresh potatoes
9. Supply required potatoes to food processing companies and other market actors
10. Establishing a potato starch factory
11. Production of potato starch
12. Marketing of potato starch to national and international market