Among Japanese agro commodities imports, Moong dal or green lentils has carved a niche for itself. Japan is an important market for green lentils and its annual demand of large grain green lentils touches 50000 tons. Japanese green lentils demand can’t be ignored by green lentils producers across the world. Bangladesh green lentils traders have set an example worth emulating by forging a joint venture with Japanese company Euglena to export green lentils. Since 2018, Grameen Euglena (JV between Grameen Krishi foundation and Euglena Company limited) has been exporting processed green lentils to Japan. This business model is worth emulating for lentils traders from neighboring India. Green lentils sellers from India can take inspiration from Bangladesh sellers and export green lentils to Japan. They can rely on agro commodities B2B ecommerce platforms like Tradologie for online export of green lentils.
JV in question collects moong dal (green lentils) from Patuakhali and exports to Japan. JV faced hiccups due to Covid 19 and exports fell before normalizing again. Target of Grameen Euglena is to export 1000 tonnes of lentils this year compared to 300 tonnes in 2021. Grameen Euglena sources stated that they had signed a deal way back in 2012 with agriculture ministry to permit limited quantity of green lentils. Procurement was limited to Dashmina upazila of Patuakhali initially but sourcing started from Baufal upazila and Patuakhali upazila later on. A company facility located in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna is utilized to process lentils to be shipped.
Grameen Euglena local operations coordinator Najmus Sadat stated that Yuko Satake, a Japanese businessman recognized high production of green lentils in Bangladesh by forging Grameen Euglena JV, to take advantage of huge green lentils demand in Japan. Outflow of green lentils from Bangladesh is prohibited but Satake acquired approval to export on trial basis for a year. After getting export approval for five years, Grameen Euglena started exporting green lentils officially in 2018. Cultivation of bari-6 variety of green lentils is on since then under supervision of ministry of agriculture specifically for export. This JV has contracted 10000 farmers, who sell to the JV at premium of Tk 5 to 10 above market price. SACP (smallholder agriculture competitiveness project) of the DAE (Dept. of agriculture extension), IFAD (International fund for agricultural development and Grameen Euglena has come together with intention to increase green lentils farming.
Conclusion
Standard of living of farmers has improved apart from foreign exchange earnings of Bangladesh due to export of green lentils. None other than director of SACP has stated this. Market price of moong dal (green lentils) is Tk 70 to 80 per kg and farmers get Tk 78000 to 80000 per ton from the company. So, farmers are glad to sell to the company. Exports are far more paying for farmers and for country foreign exchange is never unwelcome. Grameen Euglena model is imitable in developing country like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka etc. India has been trying to increase domestic lentils output and farmer here can adopt Grameen Euglena model.
