The total loss for major crops in value chain management in Bangladesh has been estimated to be around Tk 220 billion.
Dr Md Aziz Zilani Chowdhury, member director (crops) of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), made the disclosure during a technical session on the first day of a two-day long national conference on "Comprehensive Approach of Value Chain for Safe and Nutritious Food" at BARC Conference Centre in Dhaka's Farmgate on Tuesday (Feb 25).
Bangladesh Safe Agro Food Efforts (BSAFE) Foundation and BARC jointly organized the conference.
Dr Aziz said: "Bangladesh lost this huge amount of food crops during the period of post harvest, transportation, and storage in value chain.
"People of Bangladesh are wasting about 5.5% of total procured food."
He continued: "When food is disposed, it rots and becomes a significant source of methane, a potent green house gas, 21 times more deleterious compared carbon dioxide."
He added: "The huge total loss can be reduced through proper value chain management which may contribute to increasing the GDP."