Bangladesh top Destination for Indian Pomegranates | 28 Jan 2022

Bangladesh has emerged as the top destination for exported Indian pomegranates over the last few years.

Last fiscal (2020-21), India had exported 68,502.9 tonnes of the fruit, of which 36,906.77 tonnes (more than 50%) had gone to Bangladesh.

About:
- Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is grown in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
  - It grows well under semi-arid conditions and can be grown upto an altitude of 500 m. above mean sea level. It thrives well under hot, dry summer and cold winters provided irrigation facilities are available.
- Grown mostly in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat, pomegranate has emerged as a major export crop for drought-prone areas of the state.
- Over the years, Indian exports have become stagnant at around 50,000-60,000 tonnes as concerns over the quality of the fruit eclipsed the growth potential.
- While the European Union is a major market where the fruit fetches premium prices, the standards governing quality are higher there.
  - Non-availability of export-ready fruit has, over the years, seen European markets slipping slowly out of Indian exporters’ hands.
Reasons for Export Growth in Bngladesh:
- Ease of transportation and relatively relaxed import norms have helped Indian growers take their fruit to Bangladesh even as the share of export to European countries has dropped.
- The fruit can be exported to Bangladesh round the year and thus the produce can be sent even when the European season is over.