Bangladesh earned $126.35 million from fruit exports in the recently concluded fiscal year 2025-26, shipping various locally grown fruits to more than 26 countries across 30 international destinations.
The growing export market has opened up new opportunities for the country's agriculture sector, with the government taking initiatives to improve product quality, post-harvest management, processing and international market access.
Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir disclosed the information in Parliament on Sunday in response to a written question from Dinajpur-2 MP Md Sadik Riaz during the starred question-and-answer session.
The session was chaired by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal.
The minister said Bangladeshi fruits are exported to various destinations, including the United Arab Emirates, Austria, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, Germany, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.
To increase exports of promising local fruits such as mangoes, jackfruits and lychees, as well as other agricultural products, the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) has undertaken several initiatives.
As part of these efforts, the EPB has organised seminars and consultation meetings in Chapainawabganj and other major fruit-producing areas to explore opportunities for expanding exports of mangoes and mango-based products. Local farmers and traders have also been involved in these programmes.
In Lama, Bandarban, mango growers have received hands-on training in post-harvest management, vapour and hot water treatment, and international-standard packaging.
The EPB is also assisting local entrepreneurs in obtaining registration with China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) to facilitate exports of mangoes and other agricultural products to one of the world's largest markets.
Meridian Agro Industries Limited has already obtained the registration, while the necessary documents of several other companies have been sent to the Chinese Embassy, the minister said.
To ensure compliance with international quality and phytosanitary requirements, the government is reviewing the capacity of the vapour heat treatment plant at Gabtoli in Dhaka. Specialised training programmes for entrepreneurs are also being arranged through the Department of Agricultural Extension.
Meanwhile, the process of appointing a suitable organisation to assess the international market potential of Bangladesh's geographical indication (GI) products and conduct market research is nearing completion.
To raise the international profile of Bangladeshi fruits and strengthen the branding of export products, the government plans to participate in six international trade fairs during FY27.
The planned events include the Mekong-Lancang Fruits Festival 2026 in China's Yunnan province, the 22nd Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2026, the D-8 Halal Expo Indonesia 2026, Agro Food Jeddah 2026 in Saudi Arabia, the International Food and Drink Event, and the International Halal Expo and World Halal Summit 2026.
The government expects these initiatives to improve domestic fruit production, quality standards, processing and marketing capacity while strengthening Bangladesh's position in the international agricultural export market.
