Mintu Abdur Rahman, Rangpur :
The mango growers of Rangpur division are in joyous mood as the blooming mango trees in different areas under the region have assumed an impressive eye-catching look with huge flowers predicting an excellent yield of the fleshy and juicy fruit during this year.
At the end of winter season the mango trees of the region began sprouting buds making the growers hopeful about attaining a bumper production of the popular fruit this season.
DAE sources said mango cultivation has increased in the region and hundreds of people achieved financial solvency through it in recent years. At present the farmers have been caring and taking necessary steps to make mango cultivation successful everywhere.
About 95 percent of the mango trees in the orchards and homesteads have already bloomed in the region. DAE sources said, about more than 30,005 hectares of land have been brought under commercial mango cultivation in eight districts under the division this year .
Many varieties including the sweetest ones like Haribhanga Lengra, Gopalbhog, Fazlee, Nakfazlee, Amropali, Khirsapati, Mohanbhog, and Lakhna are grown in abundance in the region, sources said.
Mofakkharul, a mango grower of Podaganj area at Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur said that he has over 400 mango trees in his orchard. He has cultivated Haribhanga, Gopalbhog and Amropali varieties of mango. He is optimistic of achieving a good output of his produce this season.
Akmal Mia another mango grower of Tilokpara village under the same upazila said, around 95 percent mango trees have bloomed so far in his orchard predicting a bumper production of it this season. He is hopeful of achieving good profit by selling the fruit in markets. Last year he also earned Tk 3 lakh from its sale which satisfactory, he further said.
Deputy Director of the DAE Rangpur S M Asraf Ali said being a lucrative tem mango cultivation on the rise in the region during last few years. Farmers have already started taking adequate preparations to make mango farming a success. If the extents of seasonal nor’westers remain within the tolerable limit, there is a huge possibility of achieving a record bumper production of all varieties of mango this year, he added.
Experts for transfer of technology to increase crop output
BSS from Rangpur adds: Agriculture experts at a farmers’ field day here have stressed on transferring latest technologies among farmers to increase crop output at lower costs for ensuring food security amid changing climate.
They expressed the view at the field day programme on ‘Technology transfer’ organised by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) at its Burirhat Regional Agriculture Research Centre (BRARC) in the city on Saturday.
More than 100 male and female farmers visited the exhibition plots set up inside the BRARC campus showcasing cultivation technologies for disease resistant potato, BT brinjal, BARI Malta-1, wheat and BARI Mango-11.
Director (Training and Communication) of BARI at its Headquarters Dr Md Amjad Hossain attended the function as the chief guest.
Chief Scientific Officer of BRARC Dr Md Badiuzzaman presided over the programme also participated by officials, experts, scientists and researchers of different agriculture related departments and organisations.
