Bangladesh has begun exporting fresh pineapples to Pakistan for the first time. The first shipment, of nearly two tonnes (1.83 tonnes) of pineapples grown in Madhupur, Tangail, was sent to Pakistan on a direct Dhaka-Karachi flight at 7pm on Saturday, 17 October. The shipment opens a new market for Bangladeshi pineapples in Pakistan.
Those involved say orders for about 42 tonnes of pineapples have been received through two companies. If these orders are fulfilled, there will be scope to expand Bangladesh’s pineapple exports in this new market.
A company named Samin International is exporting the first shipment. Prime Tech, a Lahore-based importer in Pakistan, is importing the pineapples.
Before export, the pineapples were sorted, graded and quality-checked at the Shyampur packing house in the capital. Officials said the shipment was sent after its export quality was confirmed, and it was due to reach Pakistan the following day.
Md Aminur Rashid Mukul, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension’s Shyampur packing house in the capital, said 1.83 tonnes of pineapples collected from Madhupur were sent to Pakistan after sorting, grading and quality control. It is the first shipment to Pakistan in the history of Bangladesh’s pineapple exports.
He said the pineapples were sorted, graded and quality-checked at the packing house. There is strong demand for Bangladeshi pineapples in Pakistan, and more export orders have come in since the first shipment.
Juwel Ahmed, owner of Samin International, sees new possibilities in exports. He told Naya Diganta that this was his first pineapple export in his business career.
He said his company exports garments and rice bran oil products to India, but this is its first pineapple export. It has previously imported onions, green chillies and dried jujubes, among other goods, from Pakistan and India.
‘There is huge demand for pineapples in Pakistan,’ Juwel Ahmed said. ‘With a little more support, many more farm products could be exported. We think products such as moringa powder, betel leaf, betel nut, coconut, jackfruit and dragon fruit also have a good market there.’
Stressing government initiative and support to boost farm exports to Pakistan, he said that if the agriculture ministry, the Department of Agricultural Extension and the commerce ministry took the lead, Bangladesh’s promising farm products could be promoted better in foreign markets.
According to him, the commerce ministry and the Bangladesh embassy in Pakistan supported the pineapple export effort.
Juwel Ahmed said Madhupur’s Calendar variety of pineapple had been sent. His company has orders to export 22 tonnes of pineapples to Pakistan.
Another exporter has an order for 20 tonnes. Officials said orders for about 42 tonnes in all have been received so far.
Sources said Bangladesh exports fresh pineapples and other farm products on a limited scale to various European countries, the Middle East and neighbouring India. Entry into the Pakistani market has created a new opportunity to widen the destinations for the country’s pineapple exports.
It could also help increase farm exports by using the trade links between the two countries. Pakistan imports fruit and spices from various countries, and fresh pineapples from Bangladesh could open a new source of supply for its market.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report