International Training Workshop on Hybrid Rice Technology, sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and organized by Yuanlongping Hi-tech Agriculture Co., Ltd (Yuanlongping Hi-tech) opened in Bhagalpur, Bangladesh on 17th May, 2008. Over 100 representatives attended the opening ceremony, including Dr. C S Karim, Agriculture Adviser of Bangladesh, Mr. ZHENG Qingdian, Chinese Ambassador in Bangladesh and experts from the Yuanlongping Hi-tech.

At the ceremony, Dr. C S Karim expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government and Yuanlongping Hi-tech for providing the training opportunities, which would expedite the development and popularization of Chinese hybrid rice technology in Bangladesh. Ambassador ZHENG noted that the two countries enjoy broad cooperation prospects in agriculture and the Chinese government would be committed to supporting the bilateral collaboration.

32 trainees from Bangladesh will participate in the 30-day workshop to acquaint themselves with the history and achievements of Chinese advanced hybrid rice, the basic theory of hybrid rice technology and hybrid rice seed production and processing through lectures given by experts from Yuanlongping Hi-tech, practice and field visit.

The workshop will help Bangladeshi agricultural experts understand the theory and practice of Chinese hybrid rice and speed up its breeding and production in Bangladesh as well as promote the overall cooperation in agriculture between the two countries.