Bangladesh and China’s Fujian Province have agreed to deepen cooperation to modernise Bangladesh’s agriculture sector through technology transfer, research partnerships and investment, as both sides seek to improve productivity and strengthen food security.
The agreement was reached during a meeting at the Bangladesh secretariat on Tuesday, where senior officials discussed a broad range of areas, including fertiliser supply, hybrid rice development, agro-processing, renewable energy, aquaculture and rural development.
The Bangladeshi delegation was led by Agriculture Minister Amin Ur Rashid Yasin, alongside Agriculture Secretary Rafiqul Islam Mohammad and Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) Chairman Md Azizul Islam.
The Chinese delegation was headed by Lin Guoshan, Secretary of the CPC Party Leadership Group and Director of the state-owned Fujian Provincial Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
One of the main outcomes of the discussions was a decision to speed up the renewal of the existing government-to-government agreement with the Chinese firm Banyan International Trading Limited for the supply of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser.
According to officials familiar with the meeting, the Chinese delegation encouraged Bangladesh to complete the renewal within July to help secure fertiliser supplies before the country’s peak procurement period in September and October.
The Ministry of Agriculture said the renewal process is already under way and that it expects the necessary government approvals shortly.
Officials stressed that a reliable fertiliser supply is essential for maintaining agricultural output and supporting national food security.
Both sides also agreed to expand collaboration in agricultural innovation through joint research programmes, improved seed development, farm mechanisation, agro-processing, cold-chain logistics and commercial aquaculture.
Bangladesh expressed interest in introducing Fujian’s high-yield hybrid rice varieties, which can produce up to 3.67 tonnes of paddy per acre under favourable growing conditions. Officials believe improved seed technology could help increase crop yields and strengthen long-term food production.
The discussions also explored opportunities in value-added agricultural products. Bangladesh sought technical support from Fujian to develop export-orientated food processing, including products such as dried jackfruit chips.
The Chinese side agreed to promote technology exchange and share expertise in food processing and cold-chain management.
Renewable energy was another major area of cooperation. Bangladesh outlined its plan to replace more than 200,000 diesel-powered irrigation pumps with solar-powered systems. The initiative is expected to reduce fuel imports significantly, with projected annual savings of around one billion US dollars.
Fujian expressed interest in supporting pilot projects, providing technical knowledge and exploring financing opportunities to help advance Bangladesh’s transition towards cleaner and more sustainable agricultural practices.
The latest agreement reflects growing agricultural ties between Bangladesh and China, with both sides aiming to combine technology, investment and research to improve farm productivity, strengthen rural development and support long-term food security.
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