Vegetable exports dropped 16.81 percent year-on-year to $76.90 million in the first 11 months of fiscal 2016-17, due to a ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka, Bangladesh to Europe.
The partial 'self-ban' last month by the Plant Protection Wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension on the export of vegetables (to avoid the return of consignments), also had an impact on shipments.
The EU, especially the UK and Italy, is a major destination for Bangladeshi fruits and vegetables because of a sizeable population of non-resident Bangladeshis.
“Shipments to Europe saw a decline from last month because of the Plant Protection Wing's partial ban,” said Foyez Ahmed, proprietor of Tahura International, an exporter, agent and freight forwarder.
Ahmed said he used to export seven tonnes of vegetables a day, but the quantity came crashing down to three tonnes because of the ban.
Bangladesh exports carrot, tomato, potato, eggplant, spinach, cauliflower, papaya, pumpkin, bottle gourd, cabbage, coriander leaf, ladies finger, cucumber, bitter gourd, bean, jute leaf, drumstick, radish, dry fish, fish and meat.
