The three-day National Vegetable Fair 2022, held on the premises of the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) at Farmgate in the capital, has ended.

The closing ceremony was held on Wednesday (2 March) afternoon.

Vegetables worth about Tk 31 lakh 47 thousand were sold at this year's fair, against Tk 30 lakh last year. The Ministry of Agriculture organised the fair for the sixth time, with 46 stalls: 9 government and 37 private organisations.

Monojit Kumar Mallik, director of the Horticulture Wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), gave the welcome address.

Agriculture Secretary Md Sayedul Islam presented awards to individuals, organisations and districts for special contributions to vegetable cultivation, and to stalls at the fair. He said the Ministry of Agriculture is working tirelessly for safe vegetable production.

Present were Agriculture Secretary Md Sayedul Islam; Sharifa Khan, member (secretary) of the Planning Commission's Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division; additional secretaries of the Ministry of Agriculture Hasanuzzaman Kallol, Dr Md Abdur Rouf and Kamalaranjan Das; DAE director general Benojir Alam; heads of various agencies and officials at different levels.

The awards consisted of crests, certificates and cash. At national level, for special contribution to vegetable cultivation in 2021, first prize in the individual category went to Abdul Halim of Fatikchhari upazila, Chattogram. Md Abdul Bachhir Bodu of Madhabpur upazila, Habiganj, came second and Kamrul Ahsan of Kathalia upazila, Jhalakathi, third. Md Mizanur Rahman of Dhanbari upazila, Tangail, received a special award.

For raising cropping intensity through vegetable production, achieving the highest average yield per hectare and helping meet the country's vegetable demand, Chuadanga came first at district level, Narayanganj second and Thakurgaon third.

Meherpur was named best district for special contribution to vegetable and vegetable seed production. The Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute was awarded for special contribution to vegetable crop research and technology development.

The DAE was named best organisation for technology display and aesthetics.

Among stalls judged on decoration, quality and quantity of products displayed and technological excellence, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) came first among government organisations, the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) second and the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) third.

Among private organisations, Green Savers Association came first, Krishak Bangla Agro Products second and Biotech Mushroom third. At pavilion level, ACI Seed came first, Metal Agro Limited second and BRAC Seed and Agro Enterprise third.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.