Over the past two years, the price of foreign fruits has risen significantly, leading to a 10,000-ton reduction in imports in FY 2023-24 compared to FY 2022-23. In FY 2022-23, 589,000 tons of fruits were imported, costing consumers about Tk 16,000 crore. The rise in prices, driven by a 2% penalty on unclaimed dividends and increased tariffs, has decreased consumption. Import duty on fruits increased from 89.32% to 113.80% since May 2022, causing the cost of apples to rise from Tk 39 per kg in FY 2021-22 to Tk 88 per kg in FY 2023-24. Last fiscal year, buyers spent Tk 4,746 crore on apples, Tk 4,157 crore on Malta, Tk 3,239 crore on grapes, and Tk 1,700 crore on oranges. The total expenditure on imported fruits was Tk 16,000 crore. Imports now mainly come from China, India, and Africa. Despite reduced imports, costs have surged due to higher tariffs and dollar exchange rates. Import costs were US$300 million, translating to Tk 3,500 crore, with the government collecting Tk 5,139 crore in revenue from these imports.
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