Fruit lovers in the capital have grown an appetite for foreign fruits alongside the local varieties.
In fact, most of the buyers are more interested in tasting fruits that come from abroad in multiple flavors.
Finding it a profitable business, growers too have focused on cultivating these fruits adapting with the environment and climate as the demand is on the rise.
Years ago apple, orange, grape, pomegranate, pears, dates etc. were known to be major fruits imported to our country. Later, a few of these have started being grown in our country by local farmers. But in recent times some new fruits have been added to the import list. Subsequently, these have caught the interest of local growers to have them planted as well.
In some fruit markets in Dhaka, colorful and mesmerizing displays of new variants like avocado, shamam, dragon fruit, kiwi and strawberry continue to catch the sight of customers.
“I sometimes buy strawberries for my younger daughter as she loves it”, said Moshiur Alam, a banker who was shopping in Karwan Bazar on Tuesday, to Bangladesh Post.
Another customer named Ratul Mohammad was seen asking about dragon fruit and shamam. He told Bangladesh Post “I have had dragon fruit a few times before and I love the flavour. I heard shamam tastes good with milk shake, so I want to try this.”
Al Amin, a fruit retailer of Karwan Bazar in the capital, has both the local and foreign fruits displayed in his shop including the new variants. The new variants like kiwi and avocado cost much more than other common fruits from abroad. Both kiwi and avocado cost Tk 700 per kilogram while shamam costs Tk 600. Dragon fruit and strawberry cost Tk 300-500 and Tk 300-350 respectively. But the price doesn’t bother the consumers who have a passion and appetite for these particular fruits.
Nowadays, importers and retailers are optimistic as domestic fruit production gets low in the winter. Most of the retailers display foreign fruits alongside domestic ones.
“Selling these gets me more profit and some of the customers look for new fruits with unique taste even though these are expensive,” said Al Amin, fruit seller of Karwan Bazar who already has ripe mangoes imported from Thailand while in our country we have only buds on the branches of trees.
According to the Department and Agricultural Extension (DAE), every year round 6 lakh tonnes of fruits are imported to Bangladesh. But the government’s respective bodies are working on reducing import by increasing foreign and domestic fruit production and encouraging quality fruit export.
DAE has a project titled ‘Year Round Fruit Production for Nutrition Improvement Project’. The broad objective of the project is to ensure chemical free safe fruit production round the year and nutrition for the people through a holistic approach which will bring positive impacts on gross domestic product (GDP).
They disseminate the modern horticultural technologies at farmer level by arranging year round workshops and provide them with necessary training on farming foreign fruits in local environment and climate.
Md. Nurul Islam, Deputy Project Director of the project told Bangladesh Post, “We have established horticulture centers under this project which is playing a vital role for expanding foreign fruits in the country including Avocado, Rambutan, Persimmon, Sapota, Thai Custard apple (Sorifa) etc.”
They have successfully imported and planted seeds of multiple foreign fruits across the country like Vietnam dwarf Coconut and Arabian date palm (Arbi khejur), according to the source.
Asked if domestic fruits would be at risk due to the rise of foreign fruits, he replied, “Our domestic fruits already have a special appeal being compatible with our own climate and environment. We are increasing the production of foreign fruits as the demand is on the rise.”
“Some new varieties of plum and guava have already sealed their place in the market quite well in recent years. Now we’re working on new variants of tamarind, fig, wood-apple, lychee and they will soon emerge in the market,” he added.
In a Mohakhali market with a few fruit shops, customers bought dragon fruit and strawberry. They’re keen to taste new delicious fruits as the formalin usage is lower than in the last years and foreign fruits are grown inside our country.
Sujon Ahmed, a fruit seller said, “Earlier, we had to import dragon fruit, avocado and strawberry but now these are being grown in Jashore, Joypurhat and some of the hilly areas in Chattogram division.”
“The sale is better than that of the local fruits and we are happy to get more profit”, he added.
