Potato export to Russia to resume this year: Agriculture minister

Bangladesh will resume the export of potatoes to Russia this year, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said on Sunday.

"Prior to imposing a ban by Russia on exports of the vegetable, a huge amount of potatoes were exported to that country. As it has lifted the ban recently, we take the initiative to export potatoes again," he told the media after meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Dhaka Alexander Vikentyevich Mantytskiy.

The minister also said alongside potatoes, Russia expressed its interest to import mangoes, cauliflowers, and cabbages from Bangladesh. 

Ambassador Alexander Mantytskiy said, "Mangoes and cauliflowers grown in Bangladesh have huge potential for export to Russia as this fruit and vegetable are very tasty and high quality. We want to take mangoes and cauliflowers to Russia as soon as possible."

Russia slapped a ban on Bangladesh's potatoes owing to the detection of brown rot disease in potatoes in 2014.

In March 2022, Russia removed previously imposed restrictions and resumed the import of potatoes from the entire territory of Bangladesh as the government has taken various measures to free the vegetable from brown rot disease and make it safe.

During the meeting, the two discussed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to import fertilisers -- Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and potassium -- from Russia.

The Agriculture Minister said Bangladesh imports potassium from Russia under an existing MoU previously signed between the two countries. The agreement will be renewed.

"We also want to import DAP fertiliser from Russia. An agreement will soon be signed in this regard," he added.