China National Nuclear Corporation(CNNC), through its subsidiary CIRC, has signed a contract with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) for the construction of an irradiation plant to improve agricultural opportunities in the country.
The irradiation plant
The facility, with a design capacity of more than one million curies, will be used for the disinfection and sterilization of food, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as well as for quarantine inspections and product shelf-life extension.
This project is important for nuclear nuclear cooperation between China and Bangladesh. It is the “first project of its kind commissioned by a foreign government institution to CIRC and the first overseas EPC project won by CIRC,” according to the Chinese company itself.
China National Nuclear Corporation has highlighted the “huge market potential” presented by irradiation in the countries of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), of which both China and Bangladesh are members. The company hopes that this project will serve as a model for future collaborations in this area.
Nuclear research for agricultural improvement
The irradiation plant will be built at the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), a research institution that has developed 125 modern varieties of 19 major crops using nuclear techniques since its founding in 1972. These varieties have contributed to increased agricultural productivity in Bangladesh.
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Source and photo: CNNC