Analysis of Agri-Food Trade Structures
To Promote Agri-Food Trade Networks
In the Islamic Countries
80
1. Highly concentrated agri-food trade products and markets: Bangladesh agricultural
exports and imports items are highly concentrated and only 10 products account for more
than 85% of its total agri-food trade. Similarly, the country’s major share of agricultural
exports and imports are also limited to a limited number of destination and source
countries.
2. Lack of effective bilateral and regional trade agreements with other OIC members:
Bangladesh yet to have any bilateral trade agreements with any of the OIC members and
the Trade Preferential System among the Member States of the OIC has yet to be
operationalized. These affect market access of two way agricultural trade between
Bangladesh and other OIC members.
3. Mutual recognition of standards and quality certification: One of the major factors
hindering the expansion and strengthening of the country’s agri-food networks is the non-
recognition of its standards and certification by its trading partners.
4. Trade related infrastructure: The country’s ports and internal road and railway
infrastructure have not been fully upgraded to meet the growing needs of its trade sector.
They often negatively affect the country’s agricultural trade performance and hinder
exploration of its full potential.
5. Quality infrastructure: Although Bangladesh adopted a National Quality Policy to
upgrade its quality infrastructure; there are significant challenges that remain unattended
in terms of setting up a comprehensive standards and conformity assessment system to
meet the requirements of upstream export markets.
Indeed, the earliest entry into force and operationalization of the Trade Preferential System
among the Member States of the OIC would facilitate both export and imports of agricultural
trade between Bangladesh and other OIC members. Although, Bangladesh along with few other
OIC members has submitted its updated concession lists, other OIC members could take
appropriate initiatives to operationalize the TPS-OIC. The OIC members could also consider,
either collectively or bilaterally, potential collaboration with Bangladesh to address its pressing
trade related infrastructural requirements. Regarding quality infrastructure related
bottlenecks, there is a clear recognition among stakeholders that harmonization with
international standards represent a sensible starting point for developing acceptable
standardization and conformity assessment system that can form the basis for upgrading trade
competitiveness of the agricultural sector of the country. Joining and working under the
framework of the Standards and Metrology Institute for the Islamic Countries (SMIIC) could be
certainly foster such collaboration with other OIC members. Harmonization and mutual
recognition of Bangladesh’s GIs, in particular between other OIC members, could be another
potential area of mutual cooperation. These will undoubtedly help to boost Bangladesh’s
agricultural trade with both regional partner countries as well as OIC member counties with a
view to building sustainable regional and OIC-wide agricultural trade networks.