RAJASHAHI, May 15: This season, mango sale of over Tk 1,695 crore is expected in the division with 2.60 metric tons (mt) of mangoes.
Growers, traders, and seasonal young traders are taking full preparation for mango lifting, transporting and marketing in all districts of the division.
But this year's mango yielding has been a bit less. But growers are hoping profits.
According to the mango calendar, from May 15, all types of Guti mango can be harvested; from May 22, Gopalbhog can be lifted; Rani Pochanda and Loxonbhog from May 25; Himsagor and Khuirsapat from May 30; and Banana and Lengrah from June 10.
Amrupali or Fazli can be collected from June 15, BARI-4 from July 5, Ashwina from July 10, and Gouramoti from July 15. Katimon and BARI-11 are available for the whole year.
According to the Department of agriculture extension (DAE)-Rajshahi, in the Rajshahi region, mango has been cultivated on 19,603 hectares (ha) of land, with a production target of over 2.60 lakh mt.
Deputy Commissioner Afia Akhtar said, from May 15, all types of Guti mango can be harvested. In the case of any natural disaster, growers can lift mangoes in advance, but subject to permission from the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), he added.
The DAE officials confirmed preparing of mango calendar.
This year's targeted mango productions included 4.30 lakh mt from 30,500 hectares (ha) of orchards in Naogaon, 3.86 lakh mt from 37,500 ha in Chapainawabganj, and 2.60 lakh mt from 19,600 ha in Rajshahi District.
Masudur Rahman Rinku, President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce, said, market price of this year's mango from eight districts in the division will exceed Tk 10,000 crore. Sales take place both online and offline.
Chief Scientific Officer of the Rajshahi Fruits Research Institute Sujit Kumar Biswas said, for good yielding growers were given necessary advice including rearing and regular irrigation.
Growers Manik, Rashidul, and Yakub Ali of Bagha said, in the full season last year, per maund (40 kg) Lokna mangoes was sold at 600-800, Himsagor was sold at Tk 2,000-2,500, and Fazli at Tk 700-1,000.
This year's yielding has been bumper for fair weather, warehouse owners said.
A grower of Shahbajpur area in Durgapur Upazila in Rajshahi Shariful Islam said, usually because of local traders' syndicate, growers get less prices. He hopes to get good profits this year.
A warehouse owner at Baneshwar Bazar Bazlur Rahman said, in the last year, the primary price of mango was good. "This year mangoes are yet to start arriving at markets. We hope arrival by May 15."
The mango market will continue for three months, he added.
He further said, they profit higher who collect mangoes from different areas.
At only Tk 1.17 per kg, the Bangladesh Railway arranges Mango Special train for carrying mangoes from Rajshahi to Chapainawabganj to Dhaka to reach tasty and ripe mangoes in different parts of the country. But it costs Tk 12 per kg for sending mangoes to Dhaka via courier services.
Abdul Karim, Manager of Rajshahi Railway Station, said, the Mango Special train is likely to be launched this year too.
It costs Tk 1.30 per kg for mango sending to Dhaka by the train from Chapainawabganj, he added. Firstly in 2021, this train service was introduced. For adequate response from growers and traders, it was run in the last year-2024 too.
The train leaves Rahonpur Station of Chapainawabganj at 2pm and reaches Rajashahi at 5:20pm daily. After loading mangoes, the train leaves the Rajshahi Station at 5:50pm, and it reaches Dhaka's Kamalapur Station at 12:45am.
In the last season 300 mt of mangoes were exported to the United States from Rajshahi's Bagha Upazila via Dhaka.
Bagha Upazila Agriculture Officer Shsfiullah Sultan said, plan has this year too for exporting mangoes abroad. Firstly in 2019, mangoes were exported from Rajshahi.
Half of the mangoes of Rajshahi District are produced at Bagha, with about one lakh metric tons (mt) annually, the official added.
Two cold storages are built at Ahmedpur of Natore District and at Shibpur of Rajshahi District for storing mangoes, the agri-officer further said.
