Amidst onrush of huge sellers and purchasers the market of fazli, king of mango, has gained momentum in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts, famous for mango production in the country, on the last leg of the ongoing vibrant mango trading.
In addition to creating employment for over one and half lakh people, transaction of more than Taka 1,500 crore has been done centering the mango farming, trading and transporting during the peak season.
Likewise, large numbers of people are seen engaged in creating new mango orchards on the cultivable lands in the vast barind tract and char areas.
At present, if any one visits wherever and whenever in the two districts he or she will see mango and its vending and many people and the visitors in particular purchasing the delicious fruit whatever the price is.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), there are around 19 lakh mango trees on 25,000 hectares of land in the two districts.
Additional Director of DAE, Rajshahi Fazlur Rahman told BSS that every of the mango trees were bloomed immensely this season but some of those were affected due to adverse weather.
Despite of this, he said the DAE had set a target of production of 2.5 lakh tons of mango in the current season.
The businessmen are now getting optimum price of Fazli mango as all other early varieties have almost disappeared from the market on the last leg of the mango season.
The traders and growers are also highly satisfied with the outputs. Price range is between Tk 60 to Tk 90 per kg, the traders said, which is affordable for the buyers. Similarly, markets in Natore, Pabna and Naogaon are also flooded with mangoes.
Now, Fazli mango is being sold at Taka 2400 to Taka 3600 per mound according to size and quality at many of the markets like Shaheb Bazar, Baneshwar, Charghat and Bagha of Rajshahi and Sadar, Moharajpur, Ranihati, Kansat, Mobarakpur, Chowdala, Rohanpur, Mollikpur and Vholahat in Chapapainawabganj.
Around 250 trucks are now transporting mango to different areas of the country especially Dhaka, Chittagong, Chowmohani, Narayanganj, Comilla and Feni in everyday.
Nurul Islam, a wholesaler of Kansat, told the newsmen that the mango will be available till mid of next month.
Mango of Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj is conventionally late ripening and the growers can also preserve their fruits on trees for long so the farmers and businessmen get higher price.
On the other hand, he said the amount of mango mixed with carbide and other harmful chemicals has been reduced to a greater extent this season due to the government level punitive measures and surveillance by the law enforcing agencies.
But, he opined that the climate change has created a bad impact on the mango trees.
Mozammel Hossain Tutul, General Secretary of Volahat Mango Foundation, informed that huge quantity of mango gets damaged every year due to lack of processing and preservation facilities here.
In this context, he said additional employment scopes could be created if processing factory is established.
Mango is an important seasonal cash crop in northwestern Bangladesh, especially Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj.
Every season, a large number of people are involved in various types of works in these areas.
“It creates job opportunities for many people and they can earn some extra money,” said Monzurul Huda, a horticulturist in Rajshahi.
“Mango brings money to all kinds of people in Baneswar,” said mango trader Shariful Islam, adding that even a labourer earns Tk 500 to Tk 1,000 per day during the season.
