Bangladesh has a huge trade gap with China. In the FY22-23 the gap was worth over US$15.48 billion. For long, Bangladesh has been trying to reduce the gap but it could hardly make any headway in its pursuit. Bangladesh's export to the second largest economy of the world has hovered around one billion dollar mark.
Against this backdrop, the announcement by the Chinese authorities allowing Bangladesh to export its fresh mangoes is a welcome ove. According to reports, the General Administration of Customs of China issued the 'Announcement No. 94 of 2024' titled 'The Announcement on phytosanitary requirements for importing fresh mangoes from Bangladesh' on Friday last.
The announcement followed the signing of "Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Exporting of Fresh Mangoes from Bangladesh to China" in Beijing during the recent visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. It is a major breakthrough because through this announcement, Bangladesh has got the certification from the Chinese authorities for exporting fresh mangoes as well as the opportunity to explore 172 billion US dollar fruit market of China.
Besides opening up a huge Chinese consumer market to Bangladeshi high-quality mangoes, this decision will also help Bangladesh achieve its export diversification goals given the fact that nearly 90 per cent of the country's export basket is filled by only RMG products. For long, China has been showing its keen interest in importing mangoes and other fruits, including jackfruit and guava, from Bangladesh.
They also announced their decision to send an expert team to Dhaka to assess the feasibility and quality of Bangladeshi fresh mangoes. The team visited Bangladesh in June and the customs authority of China gave clearance regarding export of Bangladeshi mango to the market of the world's second largest economy based on the report of the team.
China was the second-largest global importer of mangoes, mangosteens and guavas after the US, buying around 380,000 tonnes in total in 2020. China's annual imports of mangoes - both fresh and processed - have steadily increased over the years, with a five-fold spike between 2019 and 2020.
On an average, China annually imported nearly 100 thousand tonnes of mangoes in the last several years. And its procurement price is not unattractive, as according to reports, the price of a 16-kg basket of mangoes supplied to China ranged from $16.56-24.84, depending on quality.
The Ministry of Agriculture reports that mango exports from Bangladesh reached approximately 310 tonnes in the fiscal year 2018-19, followed by 283 tonnes in 2019-20, 1,632 tonnes in 2020-21, and 1,757 tonnes in 2021-22. This represents a remarkable 467 per cent growth in mango exports over the past three years.
Middle Eastern countries have been the primary destinations for Bangladeshi mangoes, while the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Germany are also considered potential markets. Now, China emerges as another market for Bangladeshi mangoes. So, it is expected that the country's mango exporters would try their best to enter the Chinese market strongly.
Presently, neighbouring countries like Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia are major mango exporters to China. As Bangladesh is given an opportunity, the concerned authorities should take an all-out effort to ensure that the mango exports to China can be launched smoothly.
The agriculture extension department has a critical responsibility in this regard. They should ensure that the farmers are able to get the necessary inputs for mango farming easily and at a reasonable price.
They should also impart necessary training to the mango farmers on how to maintain export quality of their harvests. The authorities concerned should also take necessary precautions so that no irregularities can take place in this case.
One can hardly forget the fact that on several occasions in the past, the country's image was dented abroad due to malpractices indulged in by a section of exporters to cheat the importers, in terms of quality and standard of export items.
And, due to malpractices indulged in by exporters concerned, shrimp exports from Bangladesh to the EU market had faced restrictions for a long time. Bangladesh has witnessed a significant increase in mango exports over the past few years, with taste of the fruit playing a vital role in overcoming competitors despite challenging conditions.
Let us hope that the country's export earnings would get a boost through exploring this new avenue.
If mango exports can be continued smoothly, it will also help Bangladesh to get certification for other fruits. One need not forget the huge market that China offers to the world.
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