Mango exports begin with 4,000 tonnes target

The government on Thursday officially launched the mango export for the current season with a target of 4,000 tonnes which is double compared to the last year.

Agriculture Ministry Secretary Wahida Akter formally inaugurated the export at Central Packing House in the Dhaka Shyampur area in the morning while 10 lakh tonnes of mango were exported to four foreign countries.

Exportable Mango Production Project and Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Product Exporter’s Association jointly organised the event.

The rate of mango export witnessed a significant hike over the past few years, as a total of 23.50 lakh metric tonnes of mango were produced in 2 lakh hectares of land, in the FY 2011-12. Later, in FY 2021-22, Bangladesh exported 1,757 metric tonnes of mangoes to 28 countries, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

On the occasion, Wahida Akter said, “Bangladeshi mangoes are famous across the globe. Although more than 24 lakh tonnes of mangoes are produced in the country each year, Bangladesh exported only 1,757 tonnes in the last year”.

“The mango export rate of Bangladesh is quite low even if it stands in the seventh position in global mango production. The government will erase all kinds of obstacles that hinder the export process to potentially boost the export rate. Even, the production spaces will be settled adjacent to packaging houses, if necessary”, she stated.

Besides, the Agriculture Minister has launched the Exportable Mango Production Project aiming to increase exportable mango production. The Department of Agricultural Extension has been implementing the Tk 47 crore project (2022-2027) in 46 upazilas of 15 districts aiming to produce export standard mangoes, she said.

Moreover, to assist the project, 350 mango production exhibitions with better agricultural practices were held, 604 mango orchards of exportable mangoes were created, fertiliser and pest management in 240 mango orchards and 200 standard mango production exhibition using modern technologies (Pruning, begging and pest management) were held, according to sources of the Agriculture Ministry.

The exhibitions were held in a cluster system aiming to produce standard mangoes and already the government has brought 371 mango farmers from nine upazilas under the cluster exhibition purview. At the same time, aiming to produce standard mangoes and reduce post-harvest damages, mango pluckers, hydraulic mango harvesters, garden tillers, fruit pumps, LLP and sets of ribbon pipes were distributed among the farmers.

Bangladesh is unable to supply exported mangoes at the mainstream supermarkets in Europe and US as the country doesn’t have Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certificate. The rate of mango export will expand potentially if Bangladesh can achieve the necessary manpower and capability to get the GAP certificate, the secretary said.

Meanwhile, the government is also preparing the product profile of five exportable mangoes and continuing other initiatives including Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) of mangoes, exhibitions using GIS technology and ensuring Good Agricultural Practices.