Rangamati Correspondent :
Despite bumper production of mango in the hill district, farmers and traders are apprehending huge losses as the fruit is selling at throwaway prices in the markets.
The hilly area mostly produces Amropali variety of mango; each kg of the variety is now selling at Tk 15-20, while it was sold at Tk 40-Tk 50 during the last year.
Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said mango was cultivated in ten upazilas in the district, covering 3006 acres of hilly land this season and at least 34,500 tonnes of mango are produced.
But mango growers in the district have been incurring losses as they are being deprived of expected price of the hard-earned crop following all markets in the district are over-flooded with continued influx of excessive mango round the day amid bumper yield, sources said.
During a visit to mango markets on Saturday and Sunday, this correspondent saw the mango growers and traders frustrated as the prices of the summer fruit are low and the number of buyers too few.
Growers were optimistic on getting expected return of their crop as market price was favourable last year, but the present reality of market disappointed them, sources said.
With advent of June, growers and traders jointly started marketing mango when both of them got expected price at the beginning, but price of the fruit started to flop with influx of mango in large quantity, sources added.
“Buyers would rush to our orchards during previous seasons and procure on wholesale in advance that is found absent this season,” said Sunil Kanti Chakma who was found selling mango at Banorupa in the town on Sunday.
He raised mango orchard at Rajdwip, in the outskirt of the town, planting 300 mango trees of different species.
Deputy Director of DAE Tarun Kanti Bhattacharyya Tarun Kanti Bhattacharyya said growers are not getting expected price of their produce this season despite bumper production.
He urged the government to set up cold storage and processing plants in the district as a good quantity of seasonal fruits getting damaged after harvesting that compelled planters to dispose-off at throwaway prices to get rid of damage.
Despite bumper production of mango in the hill district, farmers and traders are apprehending huge losses as the fruit is selling at throwaway prices in the markets.
The hilly area mostly produces Amropali variety of mango; each kg of the variety is now selling at Tk 15-20, while it was sold at Tk 40-Tk 50 during the last year.
Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said mango was cultivated in ten upazilas in the district, covering 3006 acres of hilly land this season and at least 34,500 tonnes of mango are produced.
But mango growers in the district have been incurring losses as they are being deprived of expected price of the hard-earned crop following all markets in the district are over-flooded with continued influx of excessive mango round the day amid bumper yield, sources said.
During a visit to mango markets on Saturday and Sunday, this correspondent saw the mango growers and traders frustrated as the prices of the summer fruit are low and the number of buyers too few.
Growers were optimistic on getting expected return of their crop as market price was favourable last year, but the present reality of market disappointed them, sources said.
With advent of June, growers and traders jointly started marketing mango when both of them got expected price at the beginning, but price of the fruit started to flop with influx of mango in large quantity, sources added.
“Buyers would rush to our orchards during previous seasons and procure on wholesale in advance that is found absent this season,” said Sunil Kanti Chakma who was found selling mango at Banorupa in the town on Sunday.
He raised mango orchard at Rajdwip, in the outskirt of the town, planting 300 mango trees of different species.
Deputy Director of DAE Tarun Kanti Bhattacharyya Tarun Kanti Bhattacharyya said growers are not getting expected price of their produce this season despite bumper production.
He urged the government to set up cold storage and processing plants in the district as a good quantity of seasonal fruits getting damaged after harvesting that compelled planters to dispose-off at throwaway prices to get rid of damage.
