UNB, Khagrachhari :Mango farmers in the district are passing their days amid great anxiety as they are being deprived of the fair price of the fruit this year. The farmers are apprehending heavy losses as mango is selling at throwaway prices in the local markets. The mango growers in the district have to count loss in the peak season of the fruit as one kg mango is selling at Tk15-20.Most of the farmers in the district did not harvest their fruits in time as they thought they could earn more money by selling those during the month of Ramadan. But now the mangoes have started to rot in the gardens due to the incessant rainfall for the last five days.Sources at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said this year a total of 2,796 hectares of barren land in the hill area were brought under mango cultivation.As the soil and weather of the district are favorable for mango cultivation, the farmers are cultivating mango in vast area with a hope of earning more money by selling the delicious fruit.While visiting some local markets, this correspondent saw that many varieties of mango like Am Rupali, Ratna, Mallika, Gopal Bhog, Rangua and Himsagar were on sale.Mohammad Sujon, a mango trader in the district, said the seasonal fruit growers are not getting their fair price and counting heavy loss due to slide in the mango price.Angpru Marma, a mango grower of the district, said they have to sell their mangoes at a price of Tk15-20 per kg. Due to low price of mango, they do not even get their transport cost.Animesh Chakma Rinku, another mango grower, said they are deprived of fair price of mango. Jugal Podo Dey, deputy director of DAE, said mango cultivation in the hill areas is becoming popular and a commercial potential has been created for this. Most of the farmers are involved in producing mangoes commercially. If the authorities concerned cannot take any effective steps in ensuring fair price of mango immediately, the potential of commercial production of the fruit may be marred, he feared.
