BSS, Rajshahi :
Mango production is likely to suffer a setback in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts, famous for mango production, this year as immature mangoes are falling off trees due to unfavourable weather in the region for long.
This year the production of mangoes is likely to decrease as a remarkable number of mango trees in mango orchards have no fruits on them. Even the trees those borne mangoes last year are showing remarkably less yield.
Expressing apprehension a number of growers said despite massive sprouting in the very beginning of the season, production of mango might fall this year due to scanty rainfall coupled with norwester and hailstorm which caused massive dropping of growing mangoes.
The mango growers and traders here have become frustrated and they are concerned as a large number of green mangoes have been torn from the trees by the prolonged drought-like condition and recent nor’westers and hailstorms.
The unfavourable weather follows the earlier unexpected rainfall accompanied by hailstorm which had caused many green mangoes to fall before ripening properly.
Farmers told BSS that the dropping of green mangoes would reduce production, particularly in the two districts.
Dr Alim Uddin, principal scientific officer of Fruit Research Station, agreed that the production of mangoes would be significantly less than expected in the region.
Mango production will not be satisfactory in my area this year as almost 50 percent of the fruits fell from the trees before ripening,” said Abul Hossain, a farmer from Charghat upazila in Rajshahi.
He said mango trees in his area had initially blossomed well, but many of the mangoes had become victims caused by prolonged sultry weather since April 8 last. “We are cursed with recurrent Norwester this year,” said Abul Hossain. The mango growers of Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi are worried as the number of trees bearing fruits is inadequate.
The farmer said they generally used insecticides once a season but they were forced to apply it three times this year, but there was no impact.
Shariful Islam, a mango trader of Lalbag village in Godagari upazila, said mango production was likely to suffer a setback this year due to unfavourable weather.
The annual average mango production is about five lakh tonnes from over 45,000 hectares of land in eight districts under Rajshahi division including Chapainwabganj where mango grows on 22,000 hectares of land while it is about 8,500 hectares in Rajshahi.
The unexpected sultry weather due to change in climate causes mangoes to drop prematurely, said agriculturist Dr Saifur Rahman.
Most mango growers in the two mango producing districts have used pesticides and other chemicals at least 20 times for “protection and better yield”.
Excessive use of toxic chemicals in the country’s mango producing zone is posing a serious threat to public health as well as to environment and wildlife.
