The Horticulture Export Development Foundation

What The Horticulture Export Development Foundation does

The Horticulture Export Development Foundation (Hortex Foundation) is a non-profit organization established in 1993 under the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Bangladesh, and registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee under Section 26 of the Companies Act 1913. It is the designated national body for horticulture export development, governed by a 7-member Governing Body (2 public sector, 5 private sector) chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, with a General Council of at least 35 members representing the full agriculture export ecosystem.

Hortex serves horticulture farmers and producer groups, exporters and traders, agribusiness enterprises, and government agricultural agencies by providing technical assistance in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), post-harvest management, sorting, grading, washing, and packaging. It operates an Expert Pool of 23 specialized professionals, conducts Common Interest Group (CIG) training programs across multiple districts, and facilitates market linkage between Bangladeshi quality produce suppliers and international buyers. Its core operational infrastructure includes cold chain management, pack house facilities, grading centers, quality assurance laboratories, and traceability systems to support compliance with international phytosanitary requirements.

Hortex monetizes through service fees and membership charges, but its services are largely subsidized by government support. The foundation coordinates demand-side linkage into 40+ destination countries, with the Middle East accounting for 62.05% of export flows, EU 14.59%, Malaysia 11.48%, and Singapore 3.93%. Strategic partnerships with BFVAPEA (the exporters' association), EPB, DAE, DAM, BARI, BARC, and BCSIR are embedded in its governance structure, institutionalizing coordination across the public-private export development value chain.

Name

The Horticulture Export Development Foundation

Legal name

The Horticulture Export Development Foundation

Website

https://hortex.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Horticulture Export Development Foundation (Hortex Foundation) is a Bangladesh government-backed non-profit established in 1993 under the Ministry of Agriculture to promote horticulture export development. It serves farmers, exporters, and agribusinesses through GAP training, quality assurance, cold chain support, and international market linkage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Export Development Services

NAICS

Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming (111219)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Export Promotion & Market Access Support (BPADAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Horticulture, Nursery & Greenhouse Operations (EDAOAOAB), Agriculture & Food Production (EDABALAA), Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB)

Keywords

• Horticulture export development
• Agricultural value chain
• Farmer training services
• Export market linkage
• GAP certification support

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Service Fees and Charges: Hortex Foundation charges service fees for membership, consultancy services, and facilitates micro credit operations for agribusiness development. The foundation recovers service charges, fees and other similar charges from members and non-members for services rendered.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Horticulture Export Development Foundation is a non-profit development foundation that supports Bangladesh's horticulture export sector. It delivers CIG (Common Interest Group) training, value chain development support, export market linkage facilitation, and GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certification advisory to farmers, exporters, and agribusiness enterprises operating in the horticulture industry.

Product overview

Hortex Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1993 under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Bangladesh, focused on promoting horticulture export development. It does not offer a traditional technology product; instead, it provides institutional support services including value chain promotion, capacity building, training programs, expert consultation through its Expert Pool, membership services, and export facilitation for fresh horticultural crops. The organization operates programs such as CIG (Community Interest Group) training, SRFA (Sector Reform Fund Activity), and Value Chain Promotional Officer positions to support farmers and exporters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CIG (Common Interest Group) Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Export value of fresh fruits and vegetables increased from $51 million (FY2008-09) to $125 million (FY2015-16)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Agriculture, Government of BangladeshcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Hortex Foundation was established under the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture. The Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture serves as Chairman of the Governing Body, providing policy direction and government backing for all foundation activities.
• Export Promotion Bureau (EPB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993The Vice Chairman of EPB serves as a member of Hortex's General Council and Governing Body. EPB and Hortex coordinate on export market development and promotion activities for horticultural products.
• Directorate of Agricultural Extension (DAE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993The Director General of DAE serves as a Director on Hortex Governing Body. DAE provides field-level extension services for farmer training and GAP implementation coordinated through Hortex.
• Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993The Director General of DAM serves as a Director on Hortex Governing Body. DAM coordinates on agricultural marketing infrastructure and market linkage programs.
• Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Director General of BARI serves as a member of Hortex General Council. BARI provides research support and technical expertise for horticultural crop development.
• Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Member Director (Crops) from BARC serves on Hortex General Council, providing coordination on agricultural research policy.
• Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Director from BCSIR serves on Hortex General Council, providing scientific research support for agricultural processing and quality assurance.
• Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association (BFVAPEA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1993The General Secretary of Vegetables & Fruits Association serves as Director on Hortex Governing Body. BFVAPEA represents exporters and is a key channel partner for export market development.
• Bangladesh Fruits, Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association (BFVAPEA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1993BFVAPEA coordinates with Hortex Foundation for exporter capacity building, quality certification, and international buyer linkage programs. Located at Rhamania International Complex, Dhaka.
• Vegetables & Fruits AssociationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1993General Secretary of Vegetables & Fruits Association serves as Director on Hortex Governing Body, representing the private sector in horticulture export development.
• M/S M.A. Jinnah Enterprise (S. M. Jahangir Hossain)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1993Listed exporter on Hortex website as President of BFVAPEA, representing major horticulture export companies.
• M/S Monsur General Trading CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1993Listed exporter as General Secretary of BFVAPEA, major player in horticulture export from Bangladesh.
• Alubari Agro Produce LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1993Managing Director Md. Rashed Shamim Chowdhury serves as Director on Hortex Governing Body.
• Bombay Sweets & Company LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1993General Manager Khurshid Ahmad Farhad serves as Director on Hortex Governing Body, representing food processing sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB): Sri Lanka's EDB is the national export promotion body handling multiple categories including horticulture. It is a broader incumbent analogue of Hortex within a neighboring South Asian economy.
• Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh: EPB is the apex export promotion body of Bangladesh under the Ministry of Commerce and coordinates with Hortex across horticulture. It is a broader incumbent that handles all export categories, of which horticulture is one subset.

Direct peers

• Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA): EHPEA is the industry association coordinating Ethiopian horticulture exports, providing training, standards compliance, and market linkage. It is comparable to Hortex in supporting developing-country horticulture export value chains.
• National Horticulture Board (NHB): NHB is an Indian government autonomous body under the Ministry of Agriculture focused on horticulture development, including production, post-harvest, and market access support. It mirrors Hortex's domain focus on horticulture and is a direct analogue within the same regional ecosystem.
• Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Board (PHDEB): PHDEB is the Pakistani government body for horticulture export development with a mandate closely parallel to Hortex, including training, value chain support, and international market linkage for fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA): APEDA is the Indian government body responsible for promoting agricultural and processed food exports, including horticulture. It is the closest functional peer to Hortex in the South Asia region, with a comparable mandate for export facilitation, GAP support, and market linkage for horticulture producers.
• Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VinaFruit): VinaFruit represents Vietnamese horticulture exporters and supports market access, standards, and trade promotion for tropical fruits and vegetables. It is a direct regional peer competing in overlapping Gulf and Southeast Asian markets.
• Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK): FPEAK represents Kenyan fresh produce exporters and coordinates industry-wide training, standards, and international market access for horticulture. It is a strong functional peer in export facilitation for horticulture, though structured as an industry association rather than a government body.

Others

• COLEACP: COLEACP is a Europe-Africa-Caribbean-Pacific non-profit supporting horticulture value chains through training, standards, and market access. It is a thematic peer with similar capacity-building and export development functions for emerging-market horticulture.
• International Trade Centre (ITC): ITC is a UN/WTO joint agency supporting SME export competitiveness, including horticulture in Bangladesh and other developing economies. It is a thematically adjacent peer that often partners with or funds institutions like Hortex.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HortexFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hortex-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Horticulture Export Development Foundation