Prospects of agro-processing enterprises is bright in the Rajshahi region as it produces surplus crops especially food-grains, fruits and
vegetables, business leaders, bankers, agronomists and researchers here said.They viewed the region has enormous potentials for making agro-processing enterprises sustainable and profitable as it has been
producing varieties of fruits and vegetables contributing to the national economy.They focused on the agricultural potentials of the region with special emphasis on value added agro-processing opportunities and agro-based industries.It could add to the industrialization efforts of agro-based and agro-processing industry in the region for a sustainable and well formed linkage of production, processing and marketing.Abu Bakker Ali, former President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), said the region, a food surplus area, produce adequate crops particularly rice, maize, wheat, fruits especially mango, banana, papaya and tomato and vegetables for the last couple of decades by dint of its suitable soil condition, topography and climate.Vegetables like potato, cauliflower, tomato, white gourd, bean,spinach, puin, pea and baby corn are being produced in the region in larger amount side by side with broccoli, carrot, celery, capsicum and strawberry.He said the Bangabandhu Multipurpose Jamuna Bridge contributes a lot in improving communication in the northern region, creating wider scopes for increased production of cereals, fruits, vegetables and livestock over the years.”In fact, this has opened up many opportunities for agro- business in
the region,” he said stressing the need for uninterrupted power supply and availability of natural gas to help set up agro-based small,
medium and big industries in northern districts. –BSS, Rajshahi
