Mango gardens have doubled in Rajshahi region for the purpose of commercial cultivation in the last seven years.
The mango production also has doubled in recent couple of year. But the farmers did not get the fair price for the last few years.
According to the Agriculture Department, the farmers of this area are not getting fair price in high season because of the widespread production. Moreover, export market of mango is also not expanding.
According to Rajshahi Regional Agriculture Department, in 2017-2018 agro year, there were 70 thousand 346 hectares of mango garden in this region and the production was 8,66,361 tons. In 2011-2012 agro year, mango gardens were in 42,417 hectares of land and the production was 3,84,073 tons.
Meanwhile, buds of mango have been seen in different mango trees in this region. At the beginning of January month, it has begun to sprout. Mango farmers and garden owners are now busy taking care of this garden.
Rajshahi Fruit Research Center Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Alim Uddin said that now 70 percent bud of mango has sprouted in this area. Within this month of February, all buds will sprout. If there is no major natural disaster, they are expecting a good yield this year.
Rajshahi Agriculture Extension deputy director Shamsul Islam said, "Once mango was produced only in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts. Now it’s spread across the country. The cultivation and production are also widespread. So the garden owners are not getting good prices.”
He also said, now the main goal of our government is to export mango. Exporters have contracted with the selected garden owner in the production of exportable mango. That's why field officials of Agriculture Department are monitoring the production of standard mango in these mango gardens.
Apart from this, the farmers are encouraged to produce chemical free mangoes in this area.
AIMD
