According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN, Bangladesh marks the highest rate of increase in fruit production among the world's fruit producing countries. Supposedly it is the tenth largest tropical fruit producer at this time.
Over the last 18 years the country’s fruit production has been increased by 11.5 % on average, FAO estimates. It has also been among the top 10 largest countries to yield a number of significant fruits-- second in jackfruits, seventh in mangoes, eighth in guavas. Java plum (jaam), litchi, jujube, star fruit (kamranga), papaya, wood apple, lemon, pineapple, watermelon, lotkon (Burmese grape), custard apple, sapodilla (safeda) and melon are also included on the list of growing fruits.
Despite its limited geographical area and burgeoning population, Bangladesh has topped other countries to increase its fruit cultivation land by 10 % per year.
There has been a revolution in fruit farming in Bangladesh. Over the years, more and more fruit trees are being planted along roads and in yards. Commercial cultivation has increased over the last 10 years too, Sattar Mandal, former vice chancellor of Bangladesh Agriculture University, told Prothom Alo. Fruits have contributed to the country's success in food security and had pushed it six places up in the world hunger index in three years, he added.
According to the AgricultureM, around a decade ago 56 varieties of fruit were cultivated and now this stands at 72. Some 12 more varieties are being studied.
Jackfruit
Though Bangladesh is the second largest jackfruit producer of the world, Japan, Malaysia and China do not import jackfruit from here due to its wild scent and stickiness. The DAE scientists are working on a new variety of jackfruit found in Rangamati.
Mango
According to FAO, over the last 18 years the rapid production of mango has been the highest in Bangladesh. The production has increased by 16 % per year and the per head consummation doubled over the last 10 years. Around 2.4 million tonnes of mangoes were harvested in 2017-18.
Guava
In 2007-08, the production of guava was 275,000 tonnes which increased to 516,000 tonnes in 2017-18. Bangladesh exports guava and guava juice. The most of the guavas of the country was cultivated in Swarupkathi, but now they are grown in the south and southwest parts too. About 70 % of the total production is of Thai variety.
New varieties
According to the agriculture ministry, this year 12.1 million tonnes of fruits have been produced in the country which is 1.8 million tonnes more than 10 years before.
Most of the land used in fruit farming is for banana and then for mango, papaya and jackfruit. The fastest growing fruit crops are guava and litchi. Cultivation of avocado, rambutan, strawberry, orange, coconut, dates, dragon fruit, figs, wood apple is also seeing a rapid growth.
