Mangoes sweeten trade ties between China, Bangladesh

At a colorful fruit market in Changsha, Hunan province, Gui Jirong and his friends are all enticed by the sweet aroma of mangoes filling the air.

Despite the imperfect appearance of the produce on display, one of the sellers tells Gui these mangoes from Bangladesh are renowned for their excellent quality and flavor, with several varieties popular around the world.

"At first, I was hesitant to try these mangoes because the skin looked a bit spotted and uneven — definitely not 'perfect'. But after trying one, I was completely won over," Gui said.

"The flesh is incredibly smooth and sweet, and it has a deep tropical flavor, regardless of how they look. There's no stringy texture at all. Now I don't care what they look like — I am waiting for them to be available online."

As China and Bangladesh strengthen their economic ties, several of the most popular mango varieties from the South Asian country have recently made their way into the Chinese market. Bangladeshi mangoes are known for their fine texture, high sugar content, and tropical fragrance.

In early June, some of these high-quality mangoes were introduced to the Chinese market, and traders said they have continued to win over Chinese consumers.

Kohinoor Kamal, chairwoman of the Meridian Group, a supplier of premium Bangladeshi mango varieties, said one of her wishes had been fulfilled with the export market opening up and Chinese consumers being able to sample the delicious fruit.

"Over the past few years, we've actively expressed our interest in exporting mangoes to our Chinese partners," Kamal told China Daily. "However, due to the absence of a G2G (government-to-government) protocol, we were unable to proceed earlier."