The main reason for the decrease in exports is that the cost of transporting goods by air from Dhaka is higher than that of competing countries India, Pakistan, Thailand and Nepal.
Bangladesh is now exporting various vegetables from
green chillies to gourds, pumpkins, brinjals, eggplants, papayas, chichinga,
kankrol, barbati, beans, tomatoes to many countries of the world. But the
amount of export is decreasing day by day. Three years ago, vegetables were
exported worth 160 million dollars annually. Exports have been steadily
declining since then.
In the current financial year 2022-23, the export of
vegetables and agricultural products has decreased drastically. According to
the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), vegetables worth $3.48 million were exported
in July-January, the first seven months of the fiscal year. In the same period
of the last financial year, the exports were worth 5 crore 95 million dollars.
That means exports decreased by 41.45 percent in the first seven months of the
current financial year.
During the Corona period, i.e. in the financial year 2020-21, vegetables worth 118.7 million dollars were exported. At the beginning of the epidemic, the export of vegetables decreased that year as air communication with various countries was stopped for some time. The following year the situation normalized but exports did not increase. On the contrary, it has decreased by 15.85 percent. Vegetables worth 9.99 million dollars are exported.
During the Corona period, i.e. in the financial year
2020-21, vegetables worth 118.7 million dollars were exported. At the beginning
of the epidemic, the export of vegetables decreased that year as air
communication with various countries was stopped for some time. The following
year the situation normalized but exports did not increase. On the contrary, it
has decreased by 15.85 percent. Vegetables worth 9.99 million dollars are
exported.
The exporters of this sector say that the export of vegetables is plagued with multifaceted problems. The major reason for the recent decline in exports is that the cost of transporting goods by air from Dhaka is higher than that of competing countries India, Pakistan, Thailand and Nepal. Because of that, the export market of vegetables is getting lost. Apart from that, the price of vegetables in the country is also high.
When asked, the president of Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association (BFVAPEA) SM Jahangir Hossain said that the export of vegetables has decreased due to several reasons. The scanner at the airport was broken for some time. On the other hand, the freight is also high. However, he commented that currently, exports are slightly improving.
Currently, Bangladesh to Australia, Belgium, Bahrain, Canada, Switzerland, Cyprus, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Maldives, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nepal, Oman, vegetables is exported to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Singapore and the United States. Vegetable exports fell in four of the top six markets in the first six months of the current fiscal. Of this, vegetables worth 6.7 million dollars have been exported to the UK. Vegetables worth 1.16 million dollars were exported during the July-January of 2021-22 financial year. Exports to the UK as well as Kuwait and Italy fell. However, exports to the United Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have increased.
During the conversation, some exporters told Prothom Alo that Bangladesh's biggest competitor in exporting vegetables is India. Air freight from the country to any destination in the Middle East and Europe costs 30-40 percent less than Bangladesh. Foreign importers are discouraged by Biman Bangladesh's sudden increase in fares. Exporters are getting Tk 103 for every dollar in the country. But they have to pay 104 taka 15 paise per dollar for freight. Bangladesh is losing the competition mainly because of the high freight rates.
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