The farmers are expecting bumper production of the highly fleshy, fibreless and tasty local variety Haribhanga mango as its harvest continues in full swing with excellent yield now here this season, official sources said.
Horticulture specialist of the Department of Agriculture
Extension (DAE) Khandker Md Mesbahul Islam said production of the mango might cross all previous records if the drought-like situation in March and April last did not hamper its fruit formation process.
However, late rainfalls since the last week of April helped a lot in growth of the tender fruit resulting to the excellent production of the local variety aristocrat mango having huge demand both at home and abroad, he said.
According to the DAE sources, commercial cultivation of Haribhanga mango has already become popular among the farmers and expands every year to bring self-reliance to hundreds of rural people in the district recent years.
More than 6,000 farmers and commoners have cultivated the mangoes in 4,000 small, medium, big orchards and also on the homesteads on over 5,500 hectares this season after producing 20,000 tonnes of the fruit last year in the district.
The farmers are expected to produce about 21,000 tonnes of the mango worth about Taka 126 this season in the district alone this season as its cultivation has been expanding fast all over Rangpur division in recent years.
The mango is being cultivated mostly in the orchards in Podaganj, Khoragach Purbopara, Khoragach Paschimpara, Ruposhi, Zarullapur, Rangatipara, Bangaon, Chaker Pather, Paikarerhat, Rukniganj, Siraj, Tekani, Moyenpur, Kadamtola, Lalpukur, Shukurerhat, Sikarpur, Fulchowki, Tilakpara, Kashimpur, Ucha Balua, Matherhat and other villages in Mithapukur upazila.
Besides, Haribhanga is being cultivated in Kutubpur, Arunnesa, Nataram, Rustamabad, Nagerhat, Chowpothirhat, Kanchabari, Gopalpur, Baroghoria, Airamri, and Mandalpara under Badarganj upazila, Kantabari, Palichora, Ramjiban under Sadar upazila and many other villages under Pirganj upazila.
Harvest of the mango began from second week of June last and it will continue till end of July when it’s per kg price would rise up to Taka 300 in place of Taka 60 to 65 per kg now in the local markets, market sources said.
Successful farmers Lutfar Rahman of village Paikarerhat, Abdus Salam of Akhirarhat, Golam Mostafa, Ansar Ali and Bablu Master of Podaganj, Jahangir Hossain and Nur Islam of other villages predicted bumper Haribhanga mango production this time.
“We have been cultivating the tasty mango in our orchards of one to two acres of land and have already achieved self-reliance through successful farming of the highly profitable mango in recent years,” they said.
Talking to BSS, Agronomist Anaraul Haque said stressed for disseminating the latest technologies among the growers for better agronomical managements to further boosting cultivation of the highly prospective Haribhanga mango having huge export potentials.
