The New Nation - Internet Edition

BUSINESS REPORT

USAID-funded PRICE (Poverty Reduction by Increasing the Competitiveness of Enterprises) Project and Surovi Agro Limited announced signing of a MoU for increasing the export of high quality potatoes. Under this initiative, PRICE will provide immediate support to Surovi on a cost-sharing basis to organise and train potato farmers in Thakurgaon to increase both the yields and quality of their potato crops. The organisation and training of 80 farmers will begin this October and take place over the next six months of the production cycle. It is expected that the results will be 426 more metric tons of potatoes that will exported next year to Singapore, Malaysia & Sri Lanka to existing Surovi buyers. This will result in 207 new jobs over the next four years.

"Surovi is extremely pleased to have the support of PRICE to meet the demands of our foreign buyers", said Zaker Riead of Surovi. "Up until now, we had been constrained in terms of both quantity and quality to meet these demands. We are also looking forward to working with PRICE to find new buyers to support our ambitious growth plans."

Surovi Agro Limited is part of a group of companies under the Surovi Group that are engaged in the production, processing and exporting of different agriculture commodities, including potatoes, beans, mushrooms, green hot chili, okra, yard long bean, broccoli and papaya. It is currently exporting to Singapore & Malaysia and is looking to expand its export markets.

"Our partnership with Surovi presents an excellent opportunity to fulfill the PRICE mission of increasing sales, jobs and investment and therefore reduce poverty in Bangladesh," said Bob Webster, PRICE Chief of Party. "This work will benefit farmers in one of the poorest regions of Bangladesh."

PRICE is a USAID-funded project whose objective is to reduce poverty by facilitating the increase of sales, jobs and investment in horticulture, aquaculture and leather products. PRICE's activities will be driven by the demand of the market and will seek for the benefits of growth to be shared with women, young adults, SMEs and farmers as much as possible.