Representatives from ASHRAE-RAL, ASHRAE Bangladesh, and the US Department of Agriculture, Bangladesh Trade Facilitation project, inaugurated the Cold Chain Conference 2023 at the city’s Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, on Wednesday (31 May). The conference ended on 1 June, reads a press release.

The first of its kind in Bangladesh, the Cold Chain Conference was jointly organized by the Regional and Bangladesh chapters of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the Global Cold Chain Alliance.

It was promoted by the USDA Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project to highlight the opportunities to invest in temperature-controlled logistics in Bangladesh.

The event showcased the engineering and technical solutions available for facilitating the sustainable development of the temperature-controlled logistics industry and different fresh, frozen, and processed food industries that require improved cold chains.

The second day of the event presented panel discussions on investment and third-party logistics (3PL) business models and technical sessions on First-mile Cold Chain solutions, and vibrant panels focusing on meat and fish, fruits and vegetables, repurposing storage facilities, and learnings about cold chain development in other emerging economies.

Cold chain, agri-food businesses, and post-harvest loss experts from across the world participated in these discussions.

The conference provided a platform to sensitize government agencies, logistics, food, and retail industries, engineers, design and equipment suppliers, traders, researchers, and academia on the recent developments and opportunities in the temperature-controlled methods of managing quality and reducing post-harvest loss of agricultural and food products.

The inaugural event was conducted by Fuad M Khalid Hossen, deputy chief of the Party, BTF project.

Speaking during the session, Richie Mittal, the regional director at ASHRAE-RAL said, “Over the last two years, we have been thinking about organising an event like this and considered Egypt, Turkey, or Saudi, but it is the potential we see in Bangladesh that brings us here.”

He also acknowledged the role of private and public sector actors involved in the food and agricultural supply chains in ensuring food safety for all and targets increasing export earnings by exporting food products.

The expo brought together over 250 public and private sector professionals from 186 companies, of which 97 were engineering, equipment, services, and consultancy companies that exhibited their capabilities and services in temperature-controlled storage and transportation systems.