China keen to import mango from Bangladesh: Minister

China has expressed interest in importing mangoes from Bangladesh to meet the country’s local demand, said Agriculture Minister Md Abdus Shahid on Monday.

An expert team is scheduled to visit Bangladesh at the beginning of June to inspect mango production and procurement activities, Shahid said, adding that the final decision regarding mango imports will be based on the report submitted by the team.

China expressed its eagerness when its Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen paid a courtesy call on the agricultural minister at his Secretariat office in Dhaka this noon.

Highlighting the potentials in the agriculture sector, Shahid said China’s technical expertise alongside its financial assistance is imperative to ensure the modernisation and mechanisation in the country’s one of the key economic pillars.

“We can purchase agricultural equipment from China at comparatively lower rates than other countries. China's assistance is vital to ensure that our farmers have access to modern machineries in the sector,” said the minister.

Mango exports in 2023 reach 2,700 tonnes

About 2,700 tonnes of mangoes were exported in 2023 while a total of 1,757 tonnes of mangoes were exported 2022.

In 2022, mangoes were exported to 28 countries, while in 2023 mangoes were exported to 34 countries, according to data of the Ministry of Agriculture.