World Business News Tuesday

BTMA slates govt for easing
regulations on Indian
yarns import
Staff Correspondent

Local spinners have expressed concern as the government has recently taken the decision of easing the ways for importing yarns from India through Benapole land port, saying that it will affect the country’s spinning industry.
Leaders of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association at a press conference, held in Dhaka on Monday, alleged that a vested quarter had influenced the government to make the decision which, they said, would disturb local spinners capable of feeding local market.
Knitwear manufacturers repeatedly demanded procedural simplification in case of yarn import through Benapole amid its rising and unduly high prices charged by local spinners.
Responding to the demand of export-oriented knitwear industry, customs authority allowed import of Indian yarns through Benapole land port few months back. In the past week, they also eased some regulations, including mandatory weight and testing of each yarn consignment.
‘Easing the regulations will encourage brining of extra quantity of Indian yarns into the country as happened earlier,’ association president Abdul Hai Sarker said.
Leader of the primary textile manufacturing sector entrepreneurs apprehended that random import of Indian yarns would seriously affect local spinners who had increased their capacity to feed the export-oriented knitwear industry.
He also demanded that the government should review the decision taking into account interest of the local industry.
BTMA claims that more than 300 spinning units operating in the country produce 0.6 million tonnes of yarns per year despite having the capacity of 0.9 million tonnes.
BTMA leaders also regretted that the Energy Regulatory Commission had asked all the industries to take mandatory licences for their captive power generating units by paying Tk 0.5 million each unit.
As the government couldn’t provide enough electricity, industries had installed generators, Sarker said, adding that industries should get rid of unnecessary regulations and extra cost of doing business.
‘Due to low pressure of gas, generators and boilers in many textile units go out of order, resulting in reduction in the production significantly.’
The leader said though the government agreed to hand over the management of the National Institute of Textile Training, Research and Design to the BTMA, it had been trapped in bureaucratic tangles.
BTMA, however, praised the government move for imposing restriction on exporting cotton waste. But the association president demanded that inquiry committee should be formed to investigate on how the traders siphoned off tens of millions of dollars by under-invoicing on exports of waste cotton to the neighbouring country.


Mushroom cultivation gains ground 
Parvin Khaleda


Mushroom cultivation is growing in the country though its consumption among the common is still limited.
Farmers said strengthening marketing chain and high level campaign are necessary to encourage the consumption of this fully ‘halal’ vegetable among the common people.
Although there is a good demand for mushroom at the hotels and restaurants for local and foreign dishes, the vegetable has not been included in the common people’s dish.
Patients suffering from tumour, diabetics, high blood pressure and some glamour-aware people consume mushroom for its nutritional and medicinal value.
Some destitute people also grow and consume mushroom because of government and NGO’s initiative.
Sheikh Md Ruhul Amin, project director of mushroom development project under the Department of Agricultural Extension, said they were trying to increase its demand at the consumer level. ‘Now there is no problem of its production in our country. If demand increases, productions will automatically increase,’ he said.
According to a survey of the mushroom development project, about 20 to 25 tonnes of mushroom are produced every day in the country.
Ruhul Amin said only two years before the production range was about only 7 to 8 tonnes per day.
The project officials said farmers produce the amount to meet the local consumption.
They said the production is increasing day by day because of increasing demand every where.
Nirod Chandra Sarkar, mushroom expert of the project, said according to their estimation about 50 lakh people know and consume mushroom and the number is increasing every day.
Besides the poor, he said, mushroom is witnessing industry based production these days. Good number of people is taking training from the training centre of the project at Savar, he added.
Mushroom cultivation in Bangladesh began in 1979 with assistance from Japanese organisation JOCDV. Later, the Japan International Cooperation Agency came up with its assistance in 1987. Mushroom cultivation slowed down in 1990 following withdrawal of JAICA’s support.
In 2003, the government introduced a Mushroom Development Project under Agriculture Extension Department for making mushroom popular among the people.
Researches are being conducted under the project in addition to providing training in mushroom cultivation.
This project has activities in Dinajpur, Jessore, Barisal, Chittagong, Sylhet, Comilla, Khulna, Mymensingh, Bandarban, Rangamati, Chapainawabganj and Rangpur for motivating people to cultivate mushroom.
Beside the development centre, many NGOs and volunteer organisations also have chosen mushroom production as a way to generate income for the poor people.
Mushroom expert Nirod Chandra said a total of 73 verities of mushroom were found in the country and among these 7 to 8 are being produced at the mass level.
He said Oyster, milky and button these are some common verities which are producing at the mass level to meet the local demand.
Rejaul Hasan Jamali, a mushroom cultivator, said, ‘I took short training in mushroom cultivation from the spawn pouch and started to grow it at my home on a small scale.’
Because of its high business potential, Jamali wants to cultivate mushroom on a commercial basis in future.
‘I am trying to contact with buyers in foreign countries and I have plans to grow it according to buyer’s demand and technical support, so that I can sell my production directly,’ he added.
Mushroom production and its demand have increased but its formal marketing has not yet started.
Hotels, restaurants and some kitchen market and chain shops like Agora, Meena Bazar, Nandan in Dhaka are selling mushroom.
The mushroom producers have built an organisation named ‘mushroom hut’ under the banner of Mushroom Foundation Co-operative Society.
Growers said mushroom seed or spawn is produced through tissue culture, which is bought by farmers at a cost of Tk 6-10.
To get the harvest from the seed, it has to be kept in a wet place and needs to be sprayed with water three times a day. Mushroom can be collected for over two months from each span, which will weigh about 200 grams. The farmers begin to harvest within next 8-10 days from the day of cultivation.
A buyer can buy mushroom in three forms — fresh, dry and powder. Generally, mushroom remains fresh for a day. But refrigerated mushroom stays fresh for two three days. A kilogram of fresh mushroom sells at Tk 100-250, dry one at Tk 1000-1200 while the powder sells at Tk 1200-1500.
According to the sources there are 350 labs in the country where spawns are made and sold to the cultivators.