Mango growers in Rajshahi expect bumper yield

With the sprouting of mango buds at the onset of spring, mango growers and businessmen in Rajshahi region are spending a busy time in the orchards. Given the magnitude of the mango bud bloom, cultivators and experts predict bumper production this year due to favourable weather in the northern region, traditionally known as the hub of the country’s most popular fruit. “It is high time for nurturing the trees in order to prevent bug attacks,” said Dr Alimul Uddin, principal scientific officer of the Fruit Research Station in Rajshahi. “The cultivators are taking extensive preparations and care like watering in the orchards and spraying pesticides, expecting a bumper yield this year,” he added. Mohammad Ali, a mango grower of Puthia upazila in Rajshahi district, said: “This year the blooming has begun before the end of winter. As the weather is fine and fog has gone, we are expecting a high yield.” According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), different kinds of mangoes have been cultivated in 17,420 hectares of land in Rajshahi district with a production target of 208,816 metric tons this year. In the Rajshahi region, there are more than 3 million mango trees of different varieties on some 32,816 hectares. Different varieties of mangoes are being cultivated in the region, of them the most popular varieties are- Fazli, Langra, Gopalbhog, Amrapali, Bombai, Khirsapat, Aswina, Guti, and Mistimodhu, sources said. DAE’s Deputy Director Md Monzurul Huda said that 92% of mango trees had already started sprouting. He said: “The field level officials have been assisting the cultivators in taking necessary steps to prevent insects and fungus attacks. The spraying activities are already underway and the growers have been asked to communicate with DAE’s field officials if they face any trouble.” Over the last couple of years, the mango cultivation has been increasing in Rajshahi, Chapai Nawabganj, Natore, and Naogaon districts. The mango growers are earning huge profits by cultivating high yielding and hybrid varieties like Amrapali along with the traditional and popular native varieties, local sources said. In villages in Rajshahi and Chapai Nawabganj districts, many paddy farmers are cultivating mangoes in their fields. Local farmers said that many paddy fields had been turning into mango orchards in the region since the farmers found it more profitable than paddy or any other crops. Besides, the groundwater level in the region has depleted to a great extent and most of the farmers cannot afford the irrigation cost. The farmers said that mango plantation did not require much irrigation, which is why they were leaning towards this cultivation. “Mango plantation is more profitable and less laborious with little chance of loss. We can earn from mango orchards within one and a half years. “The paddy cultivation gives us a profit of Tk5,000 per bigha, whereas we can make profit of Tk70,000-80,000 from a similar size of mango orchard,” said Rezaul Karim, a mango grower of Shibganj upazila in Chapai Nawabganj district.