Govt finalises action plan to boost mango exports

The government has finalised an action plan for boosting mango production and exports considering its huge potential, officials said.    
The main objective of the action plan is to ensure safe mango production, free from pest attack, proper preservation, packaging, marketing and bringing farmers under contract farming.
The action plan will have some mechanisms that will help regain confidence in European buyers, who had curtailed 500 tonnes of mango import from Bangladesh during the last season due to non-compliance issues.
The country exported about 800 tonnes of mangos mainly to the European markets in 2015. But the amount fell to 300 tonnes in 2016 for non-compliance issues.
The department of agriculture extension (DAE) will go for contract farming with farmers in 15 districts during the upcoming mango season.  
Last year, the contract farming was done in Satkhira, Natore, Rajshahi, Pabna and Meherpur districts.    
Exports of mango to different countries could be made through contract farming as an exporter has to make contract with mango growers with the government-prescribed forms that contain rules. After signing of the forms, the DAE could assist the farmers in smooth export of mango.
Bangladesh exports vegetables and fruits to different countries including the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) worth about Tk 10 billion where mango shares less than five per cent of the total amount, according to the exporters.
"We have sent an action plan to the ministry of agriculture for mango growers, traders and exporters. We hope it will come into effect shortly," a high official of DAE, who is involved in the process of making the action plan, told the FE.
He said the proposed action plan/guidelines will suggest good practices for mango production giving priority to health and hygiene. Besides, it will help mango growers in going for scientific production.    
The official of the DAE said the new action plan has been finalised following a demand of the ministry of commerce (MoC) and stakeholders.
Mangos produced in the country are sweet and of good quality, which has considerable demand across the world.
Bangladesh is the seventh largest mango-producing country in the world with around one million tonne of production annually.
The mango traders/ exporters suggested the government make the action plan simple and less complicated in order to boost vegetables and fruit exports.
They pleaded for easy bank loan for farmers so that they could establish mango processing plants.
They also suggested fixing mango harvesting time-frame and setting up mango preservation plants in some selected areas.
"The action plan should be simple and business friendly so that export of mango could be increased," SM Jahangir Hossain, director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), told the FE.
DCCI President Abul Kasem Khan suggested the adoption of safe mango harvesting and mango marketing practices.
He said the DCCI will form a research and development platform soon to conduct research on the potential sectors of the country.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com