Souring the sweet taste of mango export
Addressing key challenges to export can position the country as a major player in the global mango market
Munira Khan lives in Colorado. Every summer, she goes to the supermarket to buy mangoes, and she finds only Thai mangoes there. She grew up eating some of the best Bangladeshi mango varieties, and thus, she is not a fan of what she finds there.
"These are not mangoes," she says, "these are just papayas shaped like mangoes. There's no smell or no juice dripping from them."
And she is not alone. Almost all expatriate Bangladeshis feel the same way. They crave our mangoes abroad. And mango exporters agree with them as well.
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Abul Hossain, owner of the Lee Enterprise Fruit Exporters, said, "When you peel our mangoes, you can smell the sweet fragrance. You don't smell anything from a Thai or Chinese mango. So, even foreigners love our mangoes."
Our mango export figures however tell a different story. Bangladesh exported only 2700 tons of mango in FY23. Bangladesh is not even in the top 10 mango exporting countries list. It is even more perplexing given that Bangladesh stands as the eighth-largest mango producer. In the year Bangladesh exported 2700 tons, the yield was 1.4 million tons.
This begs the question, despite such demand and such high production, why is our mango export so low?
The global mango market has been on the rise for years now. According to the Business Research Group, the mango market size is expected to grow from $63.65 billion in 2023 to $67.95 billion in 2024 at a rate of 6.7%.
Our neighbouring India, Pakistan and Thailand are doing far better than us, despite our mangoes being tastier, according to the exporters.
To make our mangoes stand out in the global market, we need to use our GI certified mangoes, and try to get more GI certification for other mango varieties. Otherwise, we can not create a brand of our mangoes.
Bangladesh faces several hurdles that need addressing to fully capitalise on this potential. Quality issues, infrastructure limitations, certification gaps, and restricted market access are the primary challenges that have hindered the growth of mango exports. And recently, air freight charges have skyrocketed, making our mango less competitive in foreign market.
Bangladesh's mangoes, such as Hari Bhanga, Gopal Bhog, Fazlee, Langra, Amrapali, and Himsagar, are known for their unique flavours and qualities, making them ideal candidates for international markets.
Challenges facing mango export
Mohammad Arifur Rahman, director of the Exportable Mango Production project under the DAE, said that despite good mango production, exports are not increasing for two reasons.
"One reason is that the shelf life of our mangos is not long. Another reason is higher air freight charges."
Another impediment is that unlike the Indian or Japanese or Pakistani mangoes, Bangladeshi mangoes do not have a distinct global brand recognition. Therefore, for foreign customers, Bangladeshi mangoes are relatively unknown.
Pavel Partha, a researcher and writer, thinks that Bangladesh is not utilising its true mango export potential. Bangladesh has Geographical Indication (GI) certification for Haribhanga, Khirshapati, Langra, Ashwina and Fajli mangoes.
"To make our mangoes stand out in the global market, we need to use our GI certified mangoes, and try to get more GI certification for other mango varieties. Otherwise, we can not create a brand of our mangoes."
"But the government has stopped working after getting the certification. They are not pushing export in foreign markets by using the GI tag," he opined.
"There are hundreds of mango varieties in the international market. How would you make our mangoes different from other countries' mangoes? By branding the GI certified mangoes as our unique products."
Arifur Rahman mentioned that the shortcoming is due to the lack of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified mango orchards for mango export.
The mango export is going to fall this year. The air freight charge was Tk180-190/kg, now it is Tk485/kg. Our mangoes are now costlier than Indian or Pakistani mangoes. So, obviously the sales are down overseas.
"We produce and export mangoes that are good enough to become a global brand. But, we do not have the GAP certificate. Unless we have it, even though we produce mangoes according to the GAP guidelines, we can not claim that our mangoes are GAP certified."
He added, "The government is working to create certified mango orchards in Bangladesh, and the efforts will show results in the next one or two years, which will ultimately increase mango exports."
Another issue is that around 25-30% of the total produce is wasted in various stages of the supply chain. There is only one quarantine centre in our country. And preservation centres are scarce as well.
"Loss of mangoes during harvesting and transportation is quite common. We are trying to minimise the loss," said Arifur Rahman.
Increased air freight charge
Mango exports have become costly due to rising freight charges, which affects Bangladeshi producers.
The cost of air freight from Dhaka to London is $3.30/kg this year, compared to $1.95/kg the previous year. The rates to Toronto increased from $2.50/kg to $3.90/kg, and the rate to Manchester, UK increased from $2.00/kg to $2.75/kg. The rate to the Middle East is now $0.75/kg instead of $0.65/kg.
The Fruit Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters' Association of Bangladesh warned that mango export volumes would be halved unless air freight rates decrease.
Abul Hossain was pessimistic saying, "The mango export is going to fall this year. The air freight charge was Tk180-190/kg, now it is Tk485/kg. Our mangoes are now costlier than Indian or Pakistani mangoes. So, obviously the sales are down overseas."
Potential for export
Bangladeshi mangoes are in high demand worldwide due to their fragrance and sweetness, but despite this, there is little export of them because of shorter shelf-life and non-compliance with international regulations.
"If we get government support, we can compete with any country in the global mango market," Abul Hossain said confidently.
Quality assurance, through regular inspections and obtaining necessary certifications, will ensure that Bangladeshi mangoes meet international standards.
Investment in modern infrastructure, such as packing houses, cold storage facilities, and improved transportation networks is crucial for maintaining the quality of mangoes throughout the supply chain.
Additionally, promoting advanced agricultural practices and supporting organic farming methods will cater to the growing global demand for sustainable produce.
Pavel Partha thinks that government support is needed to increase our mangos' brand recognition abroad, "The government should incentivise the exporters and producers of our GI-certified mangoes through tax cuts and other incentives."
Government's efforts
To overcome obstacles to mango export, the DAE has proposed a comprehensive action plan, aiming to increase the production of exportable mango varieties, ensure compliance with international quality standards, and build modern facilities for processing, storage, and transportation.
Additionally, establishing trade agreements and strengthening ties with global stakeholders are crucial steps toward broader market entry.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)'s "Exportable Mango Production" project, with a budget of Tk47 crore, aims to increase the skills of farmers, officials, and beneficiaries in quality mango production and conservation. This project, running until June 2027, raises new hopes for the export trade of mangoes.
Our neighbours
Bangladesh can draw valuable lessons from successful mango-exporting countries like India, Pakistan and Thailand, who have diversified their mango varieties and built a strong brand identity.
For example, India exported 32,104.09 MT of mangoes to the world, worth $60.14 million, during the year 2023-24. The growth was 19% higher in terms of volume than the previous year.
Thailand increased their export by 130% in FY23, and exported $44 million dollars of mangoes.
"Their mangoes benefit from the longstanding business networks of their countries," said Arifur Rahman, "also, they can send mangoes abroad via ships. The geographical location of some Indian and Thai ports are very suitable for ship transport. But we can not do that."
Bangladesh is currently pursuing a partnership with the Netherlands to send a trial shipment via ships to see how it works out. If it works out well, then mango export through the sea will begin on a regular basis.
"Following some strategies such as quality assurance, strategic alliances, and government support, Bangladesh can enhance its competitive edge," said Abul Hossain.
For instance, leveraging "mango diplomacy" to strengthen international relations, and investing in traceability technologies for quality assurance can significantly boost Bangladesh's mango export sector.
One of the main reasons for the success of Indian, Pakistani or Thai mangoes is their longer shelf life.
"Indian or Thai mangoes have longer shelf life, whereas our mangoes start to rot after 3-4 days. So, they have a better market dominance," said Arifur Rahman.
Abul Hossain said, "Indian, Pakistani mangoes stay fresh for 7-10 days in stores. So, the harvest loss is much less."
