[🇧🇩] Agriculture in Bangladesh

[Bilal9]

Farmers reap rewards of olive boom in Rangamati​

Olive farming has added a new dimension to the rural economy
https://www.dhakatribune.com/371191


Photo: Dhaka Tribune


Publish : 19 Jan 2025, 09:30 AM

Update : 19 Jan 2025, 09:40 AM

The harvest of commercially cultivated olives in the hills have been strong this year, leading to widespread enthusiasm among farmers.

This tangy fruit was not previously commercially grown in Rangamati, but farmers are gradually starting to cultivate it.

In Rangamati, olives have been cultivated on 592 hectares of land, according to the Rangamati Agriculture Department.

This has resulted in the production of 6,200 metric tons of olives, with a market value of nearly Tk500 crore.

Each tree yields at least one and a half to two maunds of olives.

Photo: Dhaka Tribune

The good market prices have brought smiles to farmers' faces.

Olives are a popular and tasty fruit among the people of Bangladesh.

The fruit can be consumed both raw and ripe. However, it is mostly used to make pickles, chutneys, jams, jellies, and oil.

Due to the bumper harvest this season in Rangamati, olives are being exported to Dhaka and other districts of the country.

The farmers are happy with the good prices they are getting by selling olives.

Photo: Dhaka Tribune

Olive farming has added a new dimension to the rural economy, according to the Agriculture Department.

Agricultural experts say that the land and climate of the district are quite suitable for olive cultivation.

Olive trees can be seen in almost every house in Rangamati. If the cultivation expands, commercial growth could be achieved.

In the Langadu upazila of Rangamati, seasonal traders are busy collecting olives from the trees.

The wholesalers are going door to door to gather olives and then export them to different districts.

Langadu has seen a bumper harvest of olives this season.

In Gulshakhali union of Langadu upazila, farmer Mohammad Sajib said: "I have planted one olive tree in my yard. Additionally, I have created an olive orchard on two acres of sloping land in the mountains with around 50 olive trees. The trees started bearing fruit in the beginning of winter. The wholesale price is around Tk50 to Tk60 per kilogram. The cost of production is low, and the profit is high, so commercial cultivation is quite promising."

Farmer Mohammad Idris from Gulshakhali union said: "I planted 105 olive trees on three acres of land two years ago. The first harvest was bumper, and I sold olives worth 3 lakh taka from the orchard in the first year."

Regarding this, Md Moniruzzaman, Deputy Director of the Rangamati Agricultural Extension Department, said: "Olives are a tangy fruit that makes your mouth water. They contain vitamins, herbal compounds, fiber, iron, copper, vitamin E, phenolic compounds, oleic acid, and various antioxidants."

He added that although there are olive trees in all ten upazilas of Rangamati, there are no olive orchards yet.

He reports that this year, olive farming has spread over 592 hectares of land in Rangamati, producing 6,200 metric tons of olives with an estimated market value of nearly Tk500 crore.

The growing demand for olives is expected to further boost the district's economy, and the Agriculture Department is working to increase olive production.

Olives can grow easily in any part of Bangladesh, making them a nutritious fruit that can meet both domestic demand and be exported abroad.

 

[Saif]

Why Bangladesh imports mangoes despite being a top producer

Bangladesh ranks seventh among the world’s mango-producing nations, growing 24-26 lakh tonnes annually for a domestic market worth Tk 13,000 to Tk 14,000 crore.

www.thedailystar.net

Why Bangladesh imports mangoes despite being a top producer

Sukanta Halder and Ahmed Deepto

Bangladesh ranks seventh among the world’s mango-producing nations, growing 24-26 lakh tonnes annually for a domestic market worth Tk 13,000 to Tk 14,000 crore.

Yet, the country regularly imports mangoes to meet growing year-round demand from the higher-income consumers.

The imported mangoes remain a fixture at fruit shops across kitchen markets and superstores in Gulshan, Banani, Baitul Mukarram, Dhanmondi, and Uttara -- catering mainly to high-income buyers willing to pay premium prices year-round.

However, traders say demand for imported varieties drops sharply during the local mango season as Bangladeshi mangoes remain unmatched in taste.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, mango imports stood at 38.3 tonnes in fiscal year 2020-21 (FY21), rising sharply to 1,343 tonnes in FY22, before falling to 141 tonnes in FY23, 15.29 tonnes in FY24, and just 4.87 tonnes in FY25. Imports rebounded to 37.05 tonnes during the July-May period of the recently concluded FY26.

Bangladesh has imported mangoes from Thailand, Egypt, India, Kenya, the Netherlands, Myanmar, the UK, and Australia, among other countries. However, in FY26, imports came only from Thailand, India, and a handful of other countries.

Md Abdul Manik, a mango importer, told The Daily Star that import volumes were higher in previous years because costs were lower. Duty then stood at around Tk 45 per kg and airfare at Tk 70 to Tk 80 per kg.

At present, he said duty has increased to around Tk 500 per kg, and airfare has risen to around Tk 300 per kg, which has reduced import volumes because customers cannot afford the higher prices.

By comparison, he said, countries including Thailand, the UAE, and other Middle Eastern nations impose food import taxes of only around 5 percent.

The importer argued that lower taxes in Bangladesh would make fruits like grapes, apples, and maltas more affordable.

As it stands, he said, only a small segment of higher-income consumers can afford imported mangoes, with demand driven mainly by sweetness. Thai Sweet Mango remains the most sought-after variety.

Mohammad Limon, sales representative of Unimart’s Gulshan-2 branch, said demand for foreign mangoes falls once the local season begins and imports are scaled back accordingly, picking up again once the season ends.

Varieties such as Australia’s R2E2, India’s Katimon, Thailand’s Banana Mango, along with a few others, are in higher demand, he said. Besides these, mangoes are also imported from the Netherlands.

R2E2 is sold at Tk 1,500 to Tk 1,600 per kg, while Katimon is sold at Tk 250 per kg. Although these mangoes are in demand throughout the year, demand is higher during the month of Ramadan, according to Limon.

Demand for all varieties peaks during Ramadan, he added.

Kabir Hossain, a fruit seller at Gulshan-2 kitchen market, said Thailand’s Jamboo, Cherry Mango, and Sweet Mango are in high demand. Jamboo is sold at Tk 1,400 per kg, Cherry at Tk 1,400 to Tk 1,500 per kg, and Sweet Mango at Tk 1,200 per kg.

The buyers of imported mangoes are mainly big businessmen and salaried professionals. About 200 to 300 kg of mangoes are sold per week, he told the reporter.

Md Sorof Uddin, chief scientific officer at the Regional Horticulture Research Centre in Chapainawabganj, said, “Imported mangoes help meet consumer demand during the domestic off-season, but they cannot match the taste and quality of Bangladeshi mangoes.”

He said consumers often purchase imported mangoes because local varieties are unavailable, prioritising availability over flavour.​