Over the last few years, Bangladesh has become the leading export destination for Indian pomegranates. Even though the share of export to European countries has declined, the ease of transportation and relatively loose import regulations have aided Indian growers in getting their fruit to Bangladesh.
Pomegranate, which is mostly grown in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat, has developed as a major export commodity for the state's drought-prone districts. Concerns over the quality of the fruit have stifled Indian exports, which have remained stable at roughly 50,000-60,000 tonnes over the years. While the European Union is a large market where the fruit commands high prices, the quality standards are greater there.
According to Prabhakar Chandane, president of the All India Pomegranate Growers Association, the lack of export-ready fruit has seen Indian exporters' access to European markets dwindle over time. India exported 68,502.9 tonnes of the fruit last fiscal year, with 36,906.77 tonnes going to Bangladesh.
In the current fiscal year, 31,185.84 tonnes of fruit were exported to Bangladesh, out of a total of 53,524.31 tonnes.
The ease of shipping and the more relaxed quality standards are two of the main reasons for the neighbouring country's emergence as a major export destination. "Unseasonal rainfall and mildew attacks have hampered our capacity to export in the last three years, shortly before the season," Chandane added.
"We can send our produce even after the European season is ended because the fruit can be exported to Bangladesh all year," he said.
While exports have suffered, the number of farmers who are ready to export their produce has increased significantly. The Agriculture Department registers plots for export and lays out the measures to guarantee that the fruits match the residue content requirements.
Measured application of pesticides and fungicides, which might be identified in residual levels before exports, is one of the steps. This fiscal year, 5,000 farms must be registered, with 1,000 already having done so.
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