Saturday, November 23, 2019

Exotic or Foreign Fruits in Bangladesh


Bangladesh has recently achieved considerable success in producing fruits. According to the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fruit production in Bangladesh has increased at an average rate of 11 percent per year for the past 18 years, which has not happened in any other country in the world.

Foreign fruits on the soil of Bangladesh:
We call Lichu (litchi) a Bangladeshi fruit. But once, this litchi fruit also came from far away China, and even the name Lichu is not a Bangla name, it’s Chinese. Thus, many of the fruits that we now know as indigenous fruits, have come from abroad and made their way to the soil of our country. They have slowly become popular. That trend continues, and will be in the future.

Over the past decade, at least 20 foreign fruits have arrived in this country. These are Strawberry, Dragon Fruit, Malta, Rambutan, Sour Soap or tok aata, Alobokhara, Mangosteen, Canistel or Zaman Fruit, Passion Fruit, Persimmon, Avocado, Cocoa, Grape, Peach fruit, Cherry, Longan, Saudi Khorma, Bread Fruit, Shantol, Rock Mellon, etc.

There are also many exotic fruits came before, such as almonds. In addition, some fruits that were in this country, but with the advent of some new varieties, there has been a great change in the cultivation and production of those fruits, such as Thai guava. With these varieties of Thailand guava, we can now eat delicious guavas all year long.

Likewise, the delicious mango varieties Katimon which can be found around the year or un-season, Brunei king mango which weighing two or three kilograms, mango palmar in red gourd, long varieties of yellow mango like bananas, and even Amrapali which are soaked in the soil of the country. Thai Jamrul, sweet arbaroi, sweet cinnamon, sweet karmacha, sweet kamranga, color sharifa, dwarfs coconut, non-seasonal watermelons etc are now available here.

Bangladeshi Local Fruits:
The most common and popular fruit varieties that cultivated commercially inside the country, such as jackfruit, mango, guava, banana, pineapple, watermelon, papaya, litchi, coconut, jujube (kul-boroi), various lemons. These are called seasonal conventional fruits of Bangladesh.

Among the obsolete fruits of the country are bell (Bengal quince), Kodbel/bael, tetul (tamarind), Amra fruit (hog plum), olive, Jaam/Jam/Kalojaam (Jambul), jamrul (water apple), gulapjam (rose jaamun), orange, chinar, lukuki/torfoi, deua, kamranga, karmacha, etc. Various wild fruits are bet-fal, chapalish jackfruit, timtoah, akura, butijaam, putijaam, kaufal, boiychi, wood peanut, wild peanut, wild/forest mango etc.


Reduce fruit import:
Due to the scarcity and demand of fruits, there are currently some exotic fruits available in this market. Among these are apples, grapes, oranges, pears, pomegranate, kiwi, dragon fruit, persimmon, mango, avocado, etc. Foreign fruit imports have been gradually declining due to continuous fruit production in the country and interest of human in domestic fruits. The quantity of fruit imported from abroad was around 3,56000 tons in 2017-18 year but in 2018-19 it was reduced to around 3,00,000 tons.

Research on fruits:
A total of 177 modern varieties of 40 different species of fruits have been invented by various research and educational institutes in this country. Of these:
  • Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) invented 84 varieties fruits of 35 species
  • Bangladesh Agricultural University has invented 84 varieties fruits of 24 species
  • Patuakhali University of Science and Technology has invented 7 varieties of 5 species
  • Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University has invented two varieties of two species

In addition, several technologies have been developed for fruit cultivation. Fruit production is increasing day by day with the expansion and use of these varieties and technologies.

Thanks,


Related:
Rice Varieties in Bangladesh | BINA and BRRI

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