The amount of mangoes produced in the country every year is about 24 lakh tons. Out of this only 1500 tons are exported. Buyers of different countries are not interested in buying this fruit as it is not suitable for export. Exportable mangoes are being produced in a total of 20 cluster areas in nine upazilas of six districts in coordination with the Directorate of Agricultural Extension and the private sector this year. Traders said that most of it can be exported if necessary facilities are provided.
Among the 20 cluster areas under the exportable mango production scheme, there are nine cluster villages one each in Satkhira Sadar and Kalaroa, Meherpur Sadar and Mujibnagar, Sharsha in Jessore, Charghat and Bagha in Rajshahi, Shivganj in Chapainawabganj and Sapahar in Naogaon. Directorate of Agriculture Extension is monitoring the various stages of mango production in the orchards of these upazilas. Besides, monitoring is done by Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association. Apart from this, the remaining 11 cluster areas are monitored by the initiative of the association. These include four in Bagha in Rajshahi, two in Kalaroa in Satkhira, one in Sharsha in Jessore, two in Shivganj in Chapainawabganj and two in Sapahar in Naogaon for exportable mango production. Basically, exporters buy large and blemish-free mangoes from farmers for export from these orchards.
Officials said that this year, around 2.5 million tons of mangoes can be produced on 2.5 million hectares of land across the country. In the last financial year, the production was about 2.35 lakh tons. In the previous fiscal year (2020-21), the production was 24 lakh 68 thousand tons. But very little of it is exported.
According to the media sources, 1 thousand 757 tons of mangoes were exported to 28 countries in the fiscal year 2021-22. Of this, 642 tons were exported to the UK, 226 to Saudi Arabia, 161 to Qatar, 173 to Italy and 149 tons to Kuwait. 1 thousand 388 tons of mangoes were exported in the financial year 2020-21. The previous year’s export was 283 tonnes.
Comment here