After successful exports of several fruits and vegetables – including guava, watermelon, and tomato – via sea route, the first shipment of green bananas is now heading for Malaysia from the Chattogram Port, adding to the list of agricultural exports by sea.
Sattar International, a Chattogram-based vegetable and fruit exporter, has sent 4.5 tonnes of green bananas collected from Bogura’s Shibganj to Malaysia in reefer containers.
Towhidul Islam, manager of Sky-sea-land Shipping Line, clearing and forwarding (C&F) agent of Sattar International, told The Business Standard on Friday that the ship carrying the consignment of bananas, valued at $6,000, will depart for Malaysia’s Port Kelang in the afternoon.
The consignment also has 17 tonnes of potatoes, he said.
The price of the exported green bananas was estimated at over Tk151 per kg.
This is the first time that green bananas have been exported through the Chattogram Port, according to the Plant Quarantine Station of the port.
Earlier, on 14 March, Sattar International exported 13.32 tonnes of watermelon, valued at $4,000, to Malaysia for the first time in refrigerated containers from the Chattogram Port.
The company usually exports round potatoes, tomatoes and various vegetables to Malaysia through the Chattogram Port.
Shipments of goods from the Chattogram Port normally take four days to reach Malaysia.
Md Nasir Uddin, deputy director of the Plant Quarantine Station at Chattogram Port, told TBS that the exporting company applied on Thursday for exporting green bananas and it was approved on the same day after checking the quality of the bananas.
“We are looking very positively at the first export of bananas through the sea port,” he added.
As per data from the Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters’ Association, fruits and vegetables worth $117 million were exported to various countries by air and sea during the 2021-22 fiscal year, of which around 30% were seasonal fruits, meaning fruits worth around $35 million have been exported annually.
