Update: A delegation from Bhutan, comprising government officials (Regional Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives Office (RAMCO) and Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA)) and agri-food exporters, visited Dhaka, Bangladesh from 20th-26th April, 2025 to explore trade opportunities and diversify Bhutan’s export market beyond India. The visit, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MoAL), the Royal Bhutanese Embassy (RBE) in Dhaka, and the BRECSA Project, aimed to assess Bangladesh’s market demand, trade regulations, and potential partnerships for Bhutanese agricultural products. 

Key commodities identified for export included ginger, turmeric, cardamom, mandarin, seed potatoes, honey, areca-nut, and black pepper. 

The Bhutanese team met with prominent importers, government agencies, and regulatory bodies such as the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), and Bangladesh Customs under the National Board of Revenue (NBR), gaining critical insights into tariff structures, food safety, and certification requirements. 

Notably, Bhutanese exports benefit from duty-free status under the existing Free Trade Agreement, though importers are subject to refundable Advance Income Tax (5%) and Trade VAT (4%). The team also visited the Bhutan Outlet in Dhaka, operated by STCBL, which promotes Bhutanese products and has shown good market traction despite packaging issues and high tariffs on certain goods. 

The visit revealed strong potential for Bhutanese Agri-products in Bangladesh’s growing consumer market, contingent upon improving packaging, ensuring consistent quality, and aligning with local standards. 

As a follow-up, RAMCO came up with a detailed implementation plans for each product, including roles for producers, aggregators, exporters, and importers, emphasizing capacity building, post-harvest handling, and sustained exporter-importer linkages to operationalize trade. 

Overall, the visit demonstrated Bangladesh’s viability as an alternative export destination, contributing to Bhutan’s broader goal of enhancing export earnings and reducing trade imbalance.

Reported by: –

Regional Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives Office, DAMC, MoAL, Gelephu.