DHAKA: The government of Bangladesh finalized an action plan for boosting mango production and exports in which they see huge potential, officials said.
Reportedly, the main objective of the action plan is to ensure safe mango production, free from pest attack, proper preservation, and packaging, marketing and bringing farmers under contract farming.
The country exported about 800 tonnes of mangoes 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.
Exports of mango to different countries could be made through contract farming as an exporter has to make a contract with mango growers with the government-prescribed forms that contain the rules. After the signing of the forms, the DAE could assist farmers in the smooth export of mangoes.
“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.
“The action plan should be simple and business friendly so that exports of mango could be increased,” SM Jahangir Hossain, director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), told the FE.
