AR Malik Seeds and Agrico have been collaborating for over half a century. Together they have been providing Bangladesh’s farmers access to affordable, innovative and top quality seed potatoes ever since. 

Agrico is very proud that the Government of Bangladesh honored AR Malik Seeds MD - Sopan Malik - with the status of Agricultural Important Person (AIP) for his outstanding contribution to the farming sector in Bangladesh.  

Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Minister for Agriculture, handed over the AIP card to Sopan Malik at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday July 27th. Bangladesh’s President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated Sopan in multiple messages. 

Boost of agricultural production under difficult conditions 
Despite the fact that Bangladesh has the lowest agricultural land per capita in the world, the highest human density, the highest impact of climate change and almost half of the land is submerged in floods every year, it has been able to boost its agricultural production.  

Its food production has quadrupled in the last 50 years and it has one of the fastest rates of productivity growth in the world since 1995 (second only to China). This growth in food production has also resulted in an impressive social impact : it accounted for 90 percent of the reduction in poverty between 2005 and 2010.  

Excellent agricultural performers 
The Government of Bangladesh therefore decided to honor Bangladesh’s excellent agricultural performers and to attract the young and educated future generations to this sector via this new prestigious award.  

Sopan Malik is the first representative from the private sector in history to be awarded as AIP in the agricultural innovation varieties / technology category. He received the AIP status for developing and marketing vegetables the past years, amongst other Agrico’s seed potatoes.  

Agrico is very proud the Government of Bangladesh appreciates AR Malik Seeds’ continuous innovation of the potato sector in Bangladesh. Agrico congratulates Sopan and his team with their award!