As the mango harvesting season nears, traders suggested setting up mango ripening/processing plants in the country to ensure supply of better quality mango and increase its export.
They also recommended specifying the harvesting timeframe in selected mango-growing areas.
About 10 to 30 per cent mango traders use chemicals to ripen the delicious fruit, which poses health hazards. In 2016, about 510 maunds of chemical-tainted mangoes were destroyed by the law enforcing agencies.
It is crucial that mango ripening centres/plants be set up in the country to ripen the fruit in a scientific way in order to produce export-quality mangoes, President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Abul Kasem Khan told the FE.
He urged the government to help the private sector establish such centres across the country.
"We also want to help entrepreneurs set up mango ripening centres in the country," he added.
"We should raise awareness among mango growers and encourage them to use modern technology."
The DCCI president also suggested providing easy bank loans for farmers so that they could set up mango processing plants.
Mr Khan said a research and development platform would be formed at the initiative of DCCI soon to conduct research on the potential sectors of the country.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has prepared a guideline for the mango growers, traders and exporters, a high official told the FE.
He said using 750 ppm Ethephon as a mango ripening agent is safe for human health.
Bangladeshi mangoes are very sweet and of good quality. Its demand in the international market is increasing day by day.
So, the country needs to adopt safe mango harvesting and mango marketing practices, according to the sector insiders.
They said traders and consumers are now becoming aware about the harmful pesticides being used to ripen fruits, especially mangoes.
Bangladesh produced mangoes worth over US$ 1.0 million in the last few years. This juicy fruit has a good demand across the world. So, the value chain system should be maintained properly, said the sector insiders.
Bangladesh is the seventh largest mango-producing country in the world. The country exported about 800 tonnes of mangoes, mainly to the European markets, in 2015, but the volume fell to 300 tonnes in 2016.
In many countries, there are mango ripening centres which Bangladesh doesn't have, a high official of DAE told the FE.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com