PRAN starts exporting potato

PRAN, a processed food company in Bangladesh, has started exporting potato to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, setting the export target for this year at 40,000 metric tons.

As per this, around 4,000 metric tons potatoes have been exported to the countries. The rest potatoes will be exported to Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Hong Kong, Nepal, and Sri Lanka gradually.

‘We started exporting the vegetable as per their (buyers of the three countries) demand from this week,’ said Md Mizanur Rahman, chief of export at PRAN. ‘This is a new experience for PRAN as it is exporting potato, the seasonal crop for the first time.’

‘We exported various types of potatoes including Granula, Diamond, Asterix, Courage through Chittagong sea port,’ he said.

Kamruzzaman Kamal, director marketing at PRAN-RFL Group said ‘We see a huge opportunity of exporting potato.  It will help earning foreign currency.’

He said the export of potato could help the potato growers getting fair prices.

He said potato growers in the northern districts faced trouble due to lack of storage facility after getting a bumper production of the crop. `Besides, we have a plan to export various types of fresh vegetables,’ he also said.   

Md Mahtab Uddin, chief operating officer at PRAN Agro Business said ‘The potatoes are grown by our contract farmers in Northern districts of the country. Collection and packaging of the potatoes were developed based on International standards.’

‘We provided quality seeds and fertilizer at a low cost to the farmers. We offer buy-back guarantee to the farmers so that they feel encourage to grow potato,’ he further said.

The company is now exporting its products to 124 countries.