The Ministry of Agriculture of Bangladesh hosted the Chief Executive Officer of the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet), Mr. Muhamed Salim bin Mohd. Ali, on a technical visit to the Regional Horticulture Research Station of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) in Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi on 29 July 2026, to engage with researchers and local mango farmers and gain first-hand insights into Bangladesh’s mango production and Good Agricultural Practices (Bangladesh GAP).
Upon arrival, the TFNet CEO was welcomed by Dr. Md. Sorof Uddin, Chief Scientific Officer of the Regional Horticulture Research Station. The visit commenced with a field tour of BARI’s mango orchards, where he observed the implementation of Bangladesh GAP, including the use of fruit bagging techniques to protect mangoes from pests such as fruit flies while reducing reliance on chemical pesticides and improving fruit quality.
The delegation was subsequently briefed on BARI’s ongoing mango breeding programme, including two newly developed advanced hybrid lines, BARI Aam-19 and BARI Aam-20, which are expected to extend Bangladesh’s mango production season with harvesting from August to September.
During the visit, Mr. Muhamed Salim also participated in a farmers’ training programme focusing on improving the productivity and quality of mango planting materials. In his address, he highlighted the importance of adopting Bangladesh GAP as a key step towards producing safe, high-quality mangoes that meet international market requirements and enhance the competitiveness of Bangladeshi mangoes in export markets.
As a symbolic gesture to mark the opening of the training programme, the TFNet CEO was honoured to present a mango sapling to a representative of the participating farmers.
The visit concluded with discussions on future collaboration between TFNet and the Ministry of Agriculture of Bangladesh. Both parties agreed to explore capacity-building initiatives for selected mango farmers, focusing on strengthening the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices, improving production efficiency, and enhancing market access for Bangladesh’s growing mango industry.
