The country's imports of minerals and cardamom from Bhutan marked a surge in the last calendar year (2017), comparing to the corresponding period.
The amount of minerals imported by Bangladesh rose by 255.39 per cent to US$ 37.60 million in the year, from $10.58 million in 2016, a Bhutanese newspaper - Kuensel - reported on Friday.
According to it, the neighbouring country exported 2.12 million tonnes of minerals to Bangladesh in 2017, which was 0.423 million tonnes in the previous year.
Quoting Tshering Yeshi, general secretary of Bhutan Exporters Association (BEA), the report said the quantity increased due to rise in export of stone chips and boulders.
"Stone boulders and stone chips are in huge demand in Bangladesh," he was quoted as saying.
The report also said Bhutan exported 0.249 million tonnes of stone chips and boulders worth $3.65 million in 2016.
Tshering Yeshi told the newspaper that the export of other minerals, like - dolomite powder, dolomite lumps, limestone lumps, limestone powder, gypsum boulder and silicon, did not see any significant change.
Five years ago, Bhutan exported about 0.217 million tonnes of minerals worth $8.24 million to Bangladesh. Since then, minerals export from there has steadily increased each year, the report added.
Meanwhile, Bhutan exported 669 tonnes of cardamom in 2017 and earned $7.35 million. This is the highest quantity of cardamom exported from the country to Bangladesh in the last eight years.
The amount was 300 tonnes worth $4.5 million in 2016.
The report, quoting Yeshey Wangchuk, proprietor of Bhutan Export Business Line (BEBL) based in Phuentsholing, said although the item's export increased in 2017, the price was not good.
"The export usually increases when the price drops, and when the quantity is less, the price increases."
At present, BEBL is exporting cardamom at $11,000 per tonne to Bangladesh, he said, adding that the price could increase during the festival season in Bangladesh.
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