Mango exports still too low: experts
Mango exports nearly tripled in fiscal 2020-21 compared to the year before, but the quantities shipped are still too low considering the total annual production.
Exporters sent abroad 791 tonnes of mango in the recently-concluded fiscal year, up from 279 tonnes the previous year, according to a paper by the Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM).
The study was unveiled at a workshop on mango exports organised by the Ministry of Agriculture yesterday.
The total quantity of mango exports currently stands at 0.06 per cent of the 12.22 lakh tonnes produced in fiscal 2019-20, data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) shows.
At the event, various stakeholders said Bangladesh now ranks seventh among the world's top mango producing countries as cultivation increases rapidly each year.
So even though mango exports have also risen, it is still far below the country's production capacity.
In 2020, Thailand exported a maximum of $734 million worth of mango while India's exports stood at $137 million and Pakistan $101 million , as per the BBS data.
The main issues that plague mango exports are the lack of good agricultural practices and exportable varieties, post-harvest identification, international quality packaging, branding, efficiency, awareness and training in export activities, and the fruit's low shelf life, according to speakers at the programme.
While addressing the programme as chief guest, Agriculture Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said the country's mango export volume is insignificant.
"So, an all-out initiative is being taken to increase mango exports," he said, adding that they want to take the country's mangoes to the world market in a big way.
"Therefore, work is underway to identify export barriers and address them," Razzaque said.
He went on to say that the implementation of good agricultural practices has already begun in a bid to keep mangoes safe during the production phase and during shipment in order to increase exports.
"Meanwhile, work is underway to set up three vacuum heat treatment plants to ensure safe mangoes and to issue phytosanitary certificates," Razzaque said, adding that mango exports would increase significantly next year as a result.
Md Mesbahul Islam, senior secretary of the agriculture ministry, presided over the meeting, where other officials, mango farmers, traders, vegetable and fruit exporters and representatives of various processing companies, including Pran Group, Square Food, ACI, Akij Food, and BRAC Dairy, took part.
The minister also said there has been a good yield of mangoes this year.
"But we have noticed that due to the lockdown and subsequent lack of market, farmers are struggling to sell their mangoes and are not getting the expected price," Islam said.
"Therefore, we need to go further in the international market, so that the farmers get the expected price and become more interested in mango cultivation," he added.