Mango has now officially become a part of the country's export basket, after the first shipment consisting 500 boxes with 625 kilograms of mango were dispatched yesterday for the UK.

The mangoes, which were grown in Satkhira, would be stocked at Walmart stores across the UK.

A second consignment, weighing over 2 tonnes, is also due for shipment next week. If all goes well with the two trial shipments, mangoes would be exported on a regular basis.

At present, Bangladesh is the eighth largest producer of mango in the world, with an annual output of around 1 million tonnes.

To mark the inaugural shipment, an event styled 'Mango Export Ceremony' was organised by the Hortex Foundation in collaboration with Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations at the DAE office in the capital.

At present, agriculture goods constitute only 2 percent of the country's total exports, Shubhashish Bose, vice-chairman of Export Promotion Bureau, said at the programme.

He went on to tip agricultural goods to constitute 5 percent of the export basket in the near future.

Currently, mango growers in 25 upazilas receive assistance from DAE, according to Sunil Chandra Dhar, DAE's director for horticulture.

Hailing the export as a giant leap for the country's agriculture sector, Mike Robson, FAO's local representative, said: "I'm excited that Bangladesh's mangoes are going to my home country while I'm working here."

The discussion was moderated by Md Saleh Ahmed, senior value chain expert of Hortex Foundation.