Mango Trading Starts Getting Vibrant in Rajshahi Markets

Mango trading has started getting vibrant amid the arrival of many of the indigenous along with some branded varieties in both wholesale and retail markets in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon, the three districts famous for mango production.

'Gopal Bhog', one of the delicious and mouth-watering mango varieties, has started appearing in the markets since Thursday morning, abiding by the instruction of local administration amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Farmers and traders have started harvesting the variety since this morning following the instruction of local administration.

A ban on mango harvesting and marketing had been imposed in the district till May 14 to give optimum time for natural ripening of the delicious seasonal fruit.

The District administration had taken the decision to prevent adulteration in the mango ripening process.

According to the administrative decision, the farmers can pluck local varieties from May 15 while harvest of Gopal Bhog mangoes will commence on May 20 and Laxmanbhog, Laukhna and Ranipasand varieties will start on May 25.

The sweetest varieties of mango – like Khirsapat and Himsagar – will start coming to markets on May 28, while Langra will begin on June 6. Harvest of Fazli and Amrapali will start on June 15. Ashwina and BARI Mango-4 varieties can be harvested from July 10.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said mango was cultivated on 26,150 hectares of areas in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts where it’s expected to yield 2,44,000 tonnes of mangoes this year.

Mango groves were also nurtured on 12,671 hectares of land in Naogaon district where the target was fixed to produce 1,61,242 tonnes of mangoes while in Natore district is expected to produce 56,021 tonnes of mangoes on 4,823 hectares of land.

Abdul Awal, Deputy Director of DAE, told BSS that most of the mangoes will become mature and ripen within the stipulated time and then those could be harvested normally.

He said some of the indigenous varieties of mangoes have already ripened. But the other delicious and famous varieties- Khirshapat and Langra need some more days to be ripened.

The West Zone of Bangladesh Railway is going to launch a ‘special mango train’ on Chapainawabganj-Dhaka route via Rajshahi from May 25 next for the second consecutive time.

Nasir Uddin, Divisional Commercial Manager of the zone, said they have taken the decision of transporting mango to Dhaka from this mango producing area for the benefit of the growers and traders.

He said the initiative has also been taken to transport mangoes at a lower cost for welfare of the mango traders and farmers amid the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts, nationwide famous for mango production, have set the target to export 300 tonnes of mango to different European and Middle East countries during the current harvesting season.

President of Rajshahi Agro Food Producer Society Anwarul Haque said mangoes produced in Rajshahi are being exported to various European and many other countries every year for the last couple of years, which is good news for Rajshahi people.