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Analysis of Agri-Food Trade Structures
To Promote Agri-Food Trade Networks
In the Islamic Countries
63
Market structure and networks of Agricultural Exports
India, United States, Belgium, United Kingdom, China, Pakistan, Netherlands, Germany, Saudi
Arabia, and United Arab Emirates were the top 10 export markets of Bangladesh’s Agricultural
exports over the 2005-2015 period. Similarly to the export baskets, Bangladesh’s export
markets are also highly concentrated. The top 10 export destinations accounted for more than
80 % of Bangladesh’s Agricultural exports in 2005, which however reduced to 70 % in 2015
showing moderate diversification of export destinations.
Table 15 lists the top 10 export destinations by share of Bangladesh’s Agricultural products
selected based on the last 3 years average export value. India is the leading export market for
recent years, although the export trend to India was quite uneven during the last decade. Along
with geographical proximity, gradual trade liberalization between Bangladesh and India under
South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), improved communication and connectivity and
increased demand of Bangladeshi products in Northeast Indian territory. Top 10 agricultural
export items to India during the 2005-2015 period were Jute and other textile based fibers; Fruit
and nuts (not including oil nuts); Fish, fresh (live or dead); chilled or frozen; Cotton; Feeding
stuff for animals; Crude rubber; Non-alcohol Beverage; Animal and vegetable oils, fats and
waxes; Spices; and Sugar confectionary
(Table 16).
Table 15: Share of Top 10 Export Markets’ in Total Agricultural Export: 2005-2015, Percent
Export Destinations
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2015
All Agricultural export markets
100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
India
10
12
18
7
12
10
16
17
9
12
United Kingdom
18
13
9
9
11
9
11
9
10
11
Belgium
13
15
15
14
10
10
12
7
8
8
China
4
4
4
5
8
11
8
10
7
4
Netherlands
1
4
2
1
6
6
5
5
7
8
Saudi Arabia
3
2
1
3
5
3
4
6
6
7
United Arab Emirates
3
2
2
2
2
3
3
6
6
5
United States
21
23
19
16
13
11
7
4
6
6
Germany
3
3
3
3
5
5
4
4
5
6
Pakistan
8
5
7
7
6
6
6
6
4
4
Total share of top 10 export markets
82
83
81
68
77
75
75
74
68
70
Rest of Agricultural export markets
18
17
19
32
23
25
25
26
32
30
Source: UN Comtrade retrieved through WITS.
The United States is an important export destination of Bangladesh’s agricultural products, and
in fact it was the top destination from 2005 until 2010. From 2011, Bangladesh’s agricultural
export products lost their competitiveness and exports earnings declined sharply in recent
years placing it at the eighth position. While more than one fifth of Bangladesh’s total
agricultural exports were destined to the US in 2005, it only accounted for less than 6% in 2015.
Over the last decade Bangladesh’s top agricultural export items to the US were Crustaceans (live
or dead), chilled or frozen, Tobacco and tobacco manufactures, Fish, fresh (live or dead), chilled
or frozen, Bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and other bakers' wares, Jute and other textile based
fibers, Edible products and preparations, Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes, Vegetables,
fresh, chilled or frozen, Fish or shellfish, prepared or preserved, and Rice. The rapid drop of