Farmers and traders in Gazipur, home to Bangladesh's GI-recognised jackfruit, are upbeat over the government's move to export the country's national fruit to China, expecting the initiative to open up a vast new market and significantly boost their incomes. The government's plan to export Bangladeshi jackfruit to international markets, particularly China, announced by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in parliament, has raised hopes among growers and traders that Gazipur's geographically indicated (GI) jackfruit will secure a sustainable position in the global market.
What is the current situation of jackfruit production in Gazipur?
Gazipur, known as the country's ‘jackfruit capital’, is witnessing peak trading activities during the ongoing harvesting season. Harvesting is underway in villages across Sreepur, Kapasia, Kaliganj, Kaliakair and Gazipur Sadar upazilas. Jaina Bazar in Sreepur, the district's largest traditional jackfruit market, has become a bustling trading hub, with thousands of farmers, wholesalers and traders gathering there daily.
How much jackfruit is traded daily in Gazipur?
Local traders say jackfruit worth around Tk 25 lakh to Tk 30 lakh is currently traded daily at the market. At the beginning of the season, when prices were higher, daily transactions reached between Tk 70 lakh and Tk 80 lakh.
What are the challenges faced by jackfruit farmers in Gazipur?
Farmers pointed out several challenges, including the absence of adequate cold storage facilities, resulting in significant post-harvest losses every year. The lack of permanent sheds and modern marketing facilities at the 32 seasonal fruit markets across Kapasia's 11 unions often forces farmers to sell their produce at very low prices during periods of excess supply.
What are the expectations from the government's export initiative?
Local farmers urged authorities to establish cold storage facilities and set up modern processing industries to produce value-added products such as jackfruit juice, jam and chips. They said such investments would help ensure better preservation, improve export quality and enable farmers to receive fair prices in the domestic market.
