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Tofael tells West Bengal minister

Govt discouraging mango potato import from India
Commerce Minister Tofael Ahmed yesterday said the government is discouraging mango and potato import from India, reports UNB.
"We had a bumper production of potato this year which was estimated at 24 lakh metric tons and this is sufficient to meet our local demand," Tofael told West Bengal Agriculture Marketing Minister Birendra Kumar Maitra.
The visiting Indian minister met with him here and proposed that Bangladesh import mango and potato from India. He also made a request for reducing tariff on mango import.
Tofael said mango production this year is also satisfactory. "So. the government would not take any step to import potato and mango.
He said the previous government had drastically reduced the tariff and suddenly liberalised the import policy without protecting the interest of the local entrepreneurs and growers.
He further said the BNP government had withdrawn qualitative restrictions from the import of 386 items, out of 431 restricted items. The import duty was reduced to 45 per cent in 1995-96 from 350 per cent in 1990-91.
"As a result. Bangladesh has become a market of Indian agrl-products, goods and services." he added.
The commerce minister said country's trade deficit with India was worth of 18 crore US dollars from 1972 to '75 and 33 crore dollars from 1976 to '81. It was 86 crore dollars from 1982 to'91.
The deficit was 35 crore US dollars only in 1992. 39 crore dollars in 1993. 65 crore dollars in 1994 and the highest 103 crore dollars in 1995, Tofael said.
He said the government has taken steps to get equal treatment from India and requested it to reduce its tariff rate and withdraw QR on export.
"We cannot export almost anything to India due to Quantitative Restriction ana tariff wall."
Tofael said even readymade garments which captured onefifth of the market of European Union could not enter into India although both the countries are members of WTO and SAARC.
During the meeting, the two ministers exchanged views on Joint venture projects on small and medium-scale industries.
The Indian minister hoped that Bangladesh would be benefited by acquainting Itself with the technical know-how and expertise of India in this sector.
The two leaders also discussed matters relating to strengthening bilateral friendly relations.