Mango exports to China likely to begin next summer

After around six years of negotiations, Bangladesh has secured approval to export mangoes to China, with shipments expected to begin next summer, according to the commerce ministry. 

A food item must be registered at the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) to be exported to the country. Bangladesh received this approval for mangoes in July last year, while the approval for jackfruit and guava is still pending.

Negotiations to gain GACC registration for jackfruit and guava have recently resumed, alongside discussions about exporting some other food items, including potatoes and fragrant rice. However, there has been no significant progress.

Bangladesh applied to export mangoes and some agricultural products to China in 2019. The Chinese authorities usually take a long time to decide on such applications, and the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the process further. Therefore, it took more than six years to make a decision on export of mangoes. 

During a press briefing on 20 March, the chief adviser’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, said China has expressed interest in importing mangoes, jackfruits, and guavas from Bangladesh. Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen conveyed this interest during a meeting with chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka recently.

“The chief adviser requested China to import mangoes, jackfruits, and guava from Bangladesh, and China is now very keen to import these three fruits. It will open a new horizon in exports to China,” the press secretary noted. 

Mamun Mridha, former general secretary of the Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI), told Prothom Alo, “The Chinese like the taste of our mangoes and jackfruits. We hope that not only mangoes, but also jackfruits will be exported to China in the next season. Once the exports begin, it will grow over the years. Besides, the opportunity of earning foreign currency will boost the fruits’ commercial production.” 

It was learned that a group of Chinese businessmen visited Bangladesh last year, to assess the potential for mango and jackfruit imports. During their two-week trip, they inspected orchards in Rajshahi and provided guidance on packaging standards for export. A mango testing lab is likely to be installed in the country, with funds from China. 

Following a meeting with the Chinese ambassador in September, foreign secretary Jasim Uddin said the process of exporting mangoes to China is in its final stage. “As a token of friendship, we sought market access for multiple products in the Chinese market. But China approves one at a time.”

When asked about exports of other items to China, commerce ministry officials said Chinese importers observed that Bangladeshi potato prices are high due to production costs. They took some samples for testing and found that the quality is not up to the mark. 

Besides, the Chinese traders blamed inconsistent trade policies in Bangladesh as a barrier to import fragrant rice. The commerce ministry approves and restricts export of fragrant rice occasionally. Currently, India and Pakistan dominate the fragrant rice market of China.

Anwar Hossain, the vice chairman of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), said a visiting Chinese team has shown a strong liking for our mangoes and jackfruits. “Work is underway to expand exports to include the other products. We are hopeful,” he said.