Bangladesh imports huge volume of tamarind seed

Tamarind—a popular fruit—is largely used in Asian cuisine. Mostly available during the dry season, tamarind seeds contain phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin C, potassium, calcium and amino acids.

Tamarind is very popular as a pickle and pickled food. Roasted tamarind seeds are a popular snack amongst the rural population. Although it is known only as fruit, tamarind seed is also beneficial. 

Tamarind seeds are now being imported as the demand for domestic products is not being met. Bangladesh has recently imported 90 tonnes of tamarind seeds from India. 

Although tamarind is a well-known fruit, it is not common to hear tamarind seeds being imported. It is apparent that tamarind seed is not to be discarded at all when it is known that tamarind beech has been imported at a price of USD 200 per tonne.

In Bangladesh, tamarind seed is mainly used for dyeing yarn in jute mills and textiles, Saitajeet Das, an importer of Tamarind seeds, said. Tamarind seed has been used for a long time to make the yarn durable, he said. Besides, tamarind seed is used as a raw material for making mosquito coils.

In the context of increasing mosquito infestation in the country, local entrepreneurs who are now making coils are the big buyers of these imported tamarind seeds. Apart from the need for production in these industries, tamarind seeds are also very useful due to their medicinal properties.

ShamimShamsi, a professor in the Department of Botany at Dhaka University, said tamarind seed is used as a raw material in Unani, Ayurveda, homeopathy and allopathic medicines. She said that the drops that are made to treat dry eyes use tamarind seed. It also helps in stomach upset, liver and gall-bladder treatment. Tamarind seed juice is useful for nausea and dizziness during pregnancy. The seed is boiled in hot water to make a kind of glue, which is used for image shaping.