Vegetable exports far away from target

Muhid Hasan :
Exports of vegetables from Bangladesh significantly dropped during the July to March period of the current fiscal year due to higher air-freight rates, and failure in meeting certain phytosanitary requirements enforced by the importers.
Bangladesh’s earnings from vegetable exports was US dollar 46.26 million during the July-March period of the current fiscal year of 2022-23 , a 43.36 per cent fall compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year, according to the monthly data from Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
As government eyes to earn $ 110 million from vegetable exports in this fiscal year, in the first nine months of FY23 exports income notably left behind by 42.29 percent than the strategic target, as per data.
Noted that , in FY22 overall export earnings from vegetables were $ 99.91 million while in FY’20 and in FY’19 the amount were USD 164 million and $ 100 million respectively.
Bangladesh Fruit, Vegetable and Allied Products Exporters’ Association (BFVAPEA) President , SM Jahangir Hossain told The New Nation on Wednesday that, this year the amount of the potato exports reduced remarkably, in winter our vegetable exports did not reach the expected level. The air-freight rate’s hike and less available cargo service also hampering the vegetable exports.
“We have to pay higher fares for cargo space in carriers as there is demand for garment shipments by air”.
”There is big chance to export potato in Russia in the upcoming months. We are trying to reach the export target for this fiscal year despite having some difficulties especially the inflationary pressure around the world and global supply chain disruption ”, he added.
Some exporters also alleged a lack of cooperation from the officials at the Central Packing House under the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) for slowing shipments and export proceeds.
Meanwhile, country’s export earnings experienced a year-on-year negative growth of 2.49 percent in March of the ongoing financial year of 2022-2023. The earning came down to $4.64 billion in March 2023 from $ 4.76 billion in the same month of the last fiscal year, according to EPB data.
For FY23, the overall earnings through exports targeted to $ 58 billion. Bangladesh bagged $ 52.08 billion by exports in the previous fiscal year FY22, registering a 34.38 percent year-on-year growth.