Export of betel leaves growing sharply
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Jasim Uddin Haroon
The country's export of betel leaves has been growing sharply over the past few years to Pakistan, Middle-East and European countries mainly because of its high quality.
Bangladesh's export of betel leaves stood at US$ 21 in the last fiscal yea from nearly half a million dollars in 2004, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
"Our export of betel leaves has been growing sharply, and we have been able to penetrate into the markets that have long been occupied competing nations," said Md Jamal Uddin Sikdar, general secretary of Bangladesh Betel Leaves Exporters Association (BBLEA) told the FE.
He also said the export of the item has been growing on an average 20 per cent a year.
Local betel leaf exporters ship around 230 tonnes a month to Saudi Arabia, from where the cargo is transshipped to other gulf nations.
Leaders of the BBLEA said they are planning to boost the export volume of the leaves at $ 100 million within a short span of time.
"We are capable of fetching around $ 100 a year if the government gives us some policy support to the country's emerging export item," Mr. Jamal added.
Exporters, however, said the quantity of export is much more then the data showed by EPB as many vegetable suppliers export it in the name of vegetables to take freight advantage.
Exporting a kilogram of betel leaves is required to pay an amount between $1.5 and $2.3 as freight charge depending on the destination while the cost of vegetable range between $1.0 and $ 1.5.
Currently, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand are the major exporting nations of the item and its major markets are Pakistan, India, Middle-East and European countries where people of the sub-continent live.
The average prices of the leaves is $ 4.0 -$6.0 a kilogram and each kilogram consist of around 200 pieces of leaves.
BBLEA general secretary said they are planning to grab a large market in Pakistan as the people of that country prefer Bangladeshi betel leaves, which are high in quality.
Bangladesh's market size for the leaves is around Tk 10 million a day (ready leaves including betel nut, lime and others), according to a study conducted by the association in 2004.
There are around 250,000 betel leaf gardens involving 2.5 million peoples in the districts of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Barisal, Natore, Jhenidah, Jessore and Kushtia.
The country's export of betel leaves has been growing sharply over the past few years to Pakistan, Middle-East and European countries mainly because of its high quality.
Bangladesh's export of betel leaves stood at US$ 21 in the last fiscal yea from nearly half a million dollars in 2004, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
"Our export of betel leaves has been growing sharply, and we have been able to penetrate into the markets that have long been occupied competing nations," said Md Jamal Uddin Sikdar, general secretary of Bangladesh Betel Leaves Exporters Association (BBLEA) told the FE.
He also said the export of the item has been growing on an average 20 per cent a year.
Local betel leaf exporters ship around 230 tonnes a month to Saudi Arabia, from where the cargo is transshipped to other gulf nations.
Leaders of the BBLEA said they are planning to boost the export volume of the leaves at $ 100 million within a short span of time.
"We are capable of fetching around $ 100 a year if the government gives us some policy support to the country's emerging export item," Mr. Jamal added.
Exporters, however, said the quantity of export is much more then the data showed by EPB as many vegetable suppliers export it in the name of vegetables to take freight advantage.
Exporting a kilogram of betel leaves is required to pay an amount between $1.5 and $2.3 as freight charge depending on the destination while the cost of vegetable range between $1.0 and $ 1.5.
Currently, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand are the major exporting nations of the item and its major markets are Pakistan, India, Middle-East and European countries where people of the sub-continent live.
The average prices of the leaves is $ 4.0 -$6.0 a kilogram and each kilogram consist of around 200 pieces of leaves.
BBLEA general secretary said they are planning to grab a large market in Pakistan as the people of that country prefer Bangladeshi betel leaves, which are high in quality.
Bangladesh's market size for the leaves is around Tk 10 million a day (ready leaves including betel nut, lime and others), according to a study conducted by the association in 2004.
There are around 250,000 betel leaf gardens involving 2.5 million peoples in the districts of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Barisal, Natore, Jhenidah, Jessore and Kushtia.