Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Qu Dongyu has pledged continued support to Bangladesh’s push on deep-sea fisheries and agricultural exports—especially fruits.
He gave the assurance during a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at FAO headquarters in Rome on Monday, on the sidelines of the World Food Forum and FAO’s 80th-anniversary events.
Welcoming Prof Yunus—who delivered a keynote at the Forum—Dr Qu praised his long-standing contributions to rural development and described Bangladesh as a “high-performing country,” reaffirming FAO’s readiness to extend technical assistance, innovation support, and South–South and Triangular Cooperation. “We will continue to support you,” he said, according to the Chief Adviser’s Office.
Prof Yunus thanked FAO for its backing and sought targeted assistance in three areas: (1) building deep-sea fisheries and processing capacity; (2) scaling fruit exports through preservation and processing; and (3) strengthening post-harvest management, including affordable, mobile cold-storage solutions for smallholders.
Noting Bangladesh’s underuse of its maritime resources, he said foreign vessels harvest fish in Bangladeshi waters while local capability remains limited. He also highlighted growing demand for Bangladeshi mangoes, jackfruit and guavas, citing particular interest from China.
Dr Qu suggested Bangladesh consider inviting Chinese experts to help assess offshore fish stocks and shape a sustainable exploitation strategy. He further underlined the value of higher-return fruit crops, recalling how China’s export push in the 1980s spurred its own agricultural gains.
Looking ahead, the FAO chief noted that 2026 will mark the 20th anniversary of Prof Yunus’s Nobel Peace Prize and said “we will celebrate,” acknowledging his leadership in Bangladesh’s current transition.
Senior officials present included Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter, SDG Principal Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, and Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam. Their current titles were verified from official and reputable records.
SMS/
