MANAMA, BAHRAIN: Bangladesh has plenty of opportunity to capture the import-dependent vegetable market in the Kingdom of Bahrain due to its huge demand.
As much as the supply is low, the price of vegetables - exported from Bangladesh - is high at the local markets in Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Lebanon, Iran, India, Pakistan, China and Thailand mainly dominate Bahrain’s vegetable market.
Bangladesh stays in the bottom of the race of exporting vegetables to the Gulf state.
The presence of Bangladesh-produced vegetable is not satisfactory at Bahrain’s local shops and stores. A few amounts of different types of vegetables, including bitter melon, potatoes, pointed gourd and zucchini are seen displaying in the ‘cold stores’, locally called for grocery and vegetable shops.
Bangladeshi Bimal Bhoumik, who operates a cold store in Muharraq city, told banglanews with a bit annoyance that the price of vegetables, produced in Bangladesh, is higher.
If the price was a bit less, then vegetables from any other countries would not sustain in Bahrain’s market, according to Bhoumik, who has been doing vegetable trading for 16 years there.
Bhoumik began his business with a cash of Tk 13 lakh only. At present, he sells Tk 20,000 each day.
Another expatriate Bangladeshi, Sumon Mollah, who owns Jasmine Store, echoed the same.
Among many vegetables, zucchini and bitter melon come from Saudi Arabia and India. Potatoes come from China, Yemen, Lebanon and Saudi Arab, apples from France, Africa, China and Iran and oranges come from Pakistan, Egypt and Syria.
Philippines occupy the whole market of banana while Pakistan, India and Thailand dominate the rice market. Saudi Arabia and India export eggs in addition to the local production.
Bahrain produces vegetables in small scale by irrigating the farms in the coastal areas of the Persian Gulf.
If Bangladesh government takes necessary measures timely then it can capture the big vegetable market in the Kingdom, Bangladeshi expatriates in Bahrain expressed their opinions to banglanews24.com.
** Sri Lanka, Nepal, India occupying labour market
BDST: 1341 HRS, DEC 31, 2014
