Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque on Monday said Bangladesh is among the top ten countries in global fruit production.
The fruit production rate in Bangladesh increased by 11.5 per cent in a year and the country achieved the second position in jackfruit production, seventh in mango production, eighth in guava, and 11th in papaya, he said.
Razzaque was speaking at a view-exchange meeting with the journalists on the occasion of the National Fruit Fair-2022, held at the Secretariat.
A three-day National Fruit Fair-2022 will begin on June 16 at Krishibid Institution in the capital and it will end on June 18, he said.
The theme of this year’s National Fruit Fair-2022 is ‘Cultivating fruits round the year ensures money & nutrition’. The fair will remain open from 9:00am to 9:00pm every day.
People can purchase chemical-free fruits from the fair.
Currently, Bangladesh is producing 72 varieties of fruit, up from 56 in the previous year, said the minister.
In 2008-2009, nearly one crore tonnes of fruits were produced in the country but now it has increased to 1.22 crore tonnes, he said adding that fruit production growth is 22 per cent in the last 12 years.
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Mentioning that the Bangladesh government is working to ensure safe and nutritious food for all, Razzaque laid importance on cultivation and increasing the production of fruit to meet the demand for nutrition.
Nowadays, the demand for fruit for an adult person per capita is 200 grams but the available supply of it is 85 grams, he said.
He also urged the fruit growers to produce strawberry, rambutan, dragon, and avocado fruits alongside the local variety of fruits. Besides, the authorities concerned are working to expand the cashew nut and coffee cultivation in the hilly and northern parts of the country, he added.
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In 2020-21 fiscal years, 790 metric tonnes of mango and eight tonnes of litchi were exported and 85 per cent of fruits including apple, malta, and grapes were also imported into the country, said Razzaque.
