<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>China expressed its keenness to import mango from Bangladesh this year, said Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Chinese Ambassador came up with the information while talking to the Agriculture Minister Dr Md. Abdus Shahid at the Secretariat on Monday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An expert delegation from China will likely visit the country, specifically the mango orchards and production facilities, in the first week of June.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh will approve the export of mangoes based on the report of the Chinese delegation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Additional secretary to the Agriculture Ministry Moloy Chowdhury, joint secretary Md Mahmudur Rahman were present there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Expecting Chinese investment in the agriculture sector, the minister said Bangladesh needs the modern and technical assistance to modernise and mechanise agriculture sector, especially, the country's farmers need China's cooperation so that the farmers can get modern agricultural machinery at low price as we can purchase machines from China at a relatively low price.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, the Agriculture Minister met Ambassador of the Netherlands in Bangladesh Irma van Dueren.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The meeting stressed the need for strengthening mutual cooperation in the agriculture sector and working together on strengthening agricultural research and technology exchange.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The meeting also discussed the construction and launch of onion storage in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka at the initiative of the Netherlands government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Onions can be stored throughout the year in this storage, which will be inaugurated officially on May 2, reports UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Noting that onion is an important crop of Bangladesh, the minister said “To become self-sufficient in onion, we are emphasizing on increasing onion production and preservation.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The initiative of the Netherlands government will play a very helpful role in this regard.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd/fas</div>