‘Mango emerges as Bangladesh’s next high-potential export’

Bangladesh has achieved remarkable export growth in recent years, with the agricultural products steadily gaining traction. As the country prepares for graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status, diversification of agricultural exports has become increasingly essential to strengthen global trade competitiveness, speakers said at an event.

Among potential high-growth agricultural products, mangoes stand out as a major opportunity for Bangladesh. With its global popularity and strong domestic production capacity, Bangladeshi mangoes can have a strong footprint in the global market, they said.

However, to unlock this potential, several major challenges must be addressed. These include:

Lack of Global Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification; inadequate infrastructure for quality control, post-harvest treatment, processing, and cold-chain management; insufficient branding and market positioning, particularly in the absence of technology-driven market intelligence building; limited government–private sector collaboration; lack of adequate policy prioritization for mangoes as a strategic agricultural export.

These insights were unveiled at the launch of a research report titled ‘Advancing Mango Production & Forward Marketing in Bangladesh: From Local Garden to Global markets,’ held at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Wednesday night (10 December 2025), according to a media release.  

The event was jointly organized by Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Bangladesh (SAF Bangladesh) and LightCastle Partners, with philanthropic support from HSBC Bangladesh.

The program was graced by Nasir-Ud-Doula, Director General (Additional Secretary) of the Department of Agricultural Marketing, as the chief guest.

The welcome remarks were delivered by Md Farhad Zamil, Executive Director of SAF Bangladesh, Davesh Dayal Mathur, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of HSBC Bank, and Syeda Afzalun Nessa, Head of Sustainability at HSBC Bank.

 The event concluded with remarks from Zahedul Amin, Managing Director of LightCastle Partners.

The panel discussion of the session was moderated by Abdur Rouf, Director of Program Development at SAF Bangladesh.

Other distinguished speakers included Ataus Sopan Malik, Managing Director of AR Malik; Kamruzzaman Kamal, Director (Marketing) of PRAAN-RFL Group; Professor M A Rahim, Head of Agricultural Science Department, Daffodil International University, and Mohammad Arifur Rahman, Project Director, Exportable Mango Production Project of the Ministry of Agriculture.

In his remarks, Chief Guest Nasir-Ud-Doula stated, “As a representative of the government, it is our responsibility to expand mango exports. For this reason, we are placing strong emphasis on cultivating improved and high-quality mango varieties, and we remain fully committed to this effort”

He further added, “No single organization can achieve this alone. A coordinated and comprehensive approach is essential. Effective collaboration among the Ministry, the National Board of Revenue, airlines, shipping lines, and the private sector is crucial. Only through such joint efforts can we create a competitive and enabling environment for mango exports.”

Davesh Dayal Mathur, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of HSBC Bank, said, “During my field visit, I observed that farmers are increasingly transforming into entrepreneurs, and this truly impressed me.”

According to the report, global annual demand for mangoes stands at approximately 2.4 million metric tons, with Mexico, Thailand, and Brazil dominating global supply.

Despite their leadership, Bangladesh shows strong potential in this sector. The country produces over 2 million metric tons of mangoes annually. In 2022 alone, production reached 1.5 million tons, ranking Bangladesh as the 8th-largest mango-producing nation globally.

However, the research highlights a stark gap: Bangladesh currently exports less than 0.05% of its total mango production, indicating that its export potential remains largely untapped.

Addressing key challenges could allow Bangladesh to secure a competitive position in the global mango market within a short period. Tapping into the true potential of mangoes would significantly boost export earnings and support Bangladesh’s smooth transition from LDC status by 2026.

The report also cites global statistics showing that, in 2022, India alone produced 26.3 million tons of mangoes, followed by Indonesia (4.1 million tons) and China (3.8 million tons). By May 2025, Bangladesh’s mango exports had reached USD 284,135, surpassing previous years.

Beyond traditional markets in Europe and the Middle East, Bangladesh has also begun entering emerging markets, including China.

Experts at the event highlighted that major global mango varieties include Alphonso, Kesar, Nam Dok Mai, Keitt, Kent, Palmar, and Tommy Atkins.

Europe and North America remain the dominant global importers. If Bangladesh focuses on diversifying its mango varieties and improving quality standards, it can significantly expand its presence in the U.S., European Union (EU), and Middle East markets in the coming years, the release adds.