In Bangladesh, at least 40 percent of the total mango production is wasted between the orchard and the dining table. Despite a huge demand of Bangladeshi mangoes abroad, farmers have failed to take advantage of this, due to lack of proper production and preservation processes.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), about 23,43,443 tons of mangoes were produced in the current fiscal year, against 21,43,443 tons in the year before. Against this backdrop, the government has taken up a ‘high value crops production, post-harvest management, processing, value addition and market linkage development project’ Md Nurul Islam, deputy project director of the Year Round Fruit Production for Nutrition Improvement project under the DAE told The Independent yesterday.
“There are about 22 million mango trees in the country at present and a tree on average produces 60 kg of mangoes”, he added. “At least 10 per cent of these trees neither bloom or bear any fruit. If these trees are taken care of the production of mangoes could be enhanced.”
About 25,000 tons of mangoes were exported last year to EU countries, Mr. Abdur Rouf, director of the Export Promotion Bureau, said. Bangladeshi mangoes are normally exported to eight European countries like England, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, France and Russia.Wastage would be greatly reduced if a preservation system was developed in the country.
