DUMURIA, KHULNA, June 2: A sharp fall in mango prices in Khulna's Dumuria Upazila has left growers worried about significant financial losses, despite a bumper yield this season.
At the beginning of the season, mango markets across the country have seen a steep decline in prices, with a shortage of wholesale buyers and traders forcing orchard owners and farmers to sell at reduced rates.
Growers say rising production costs for fertiliser, pesticides and labour have made it increasingly difficult to recover investment, while current market prices are far below expectations.
A visit to major mango trading hubs, including Aatharo Mile Bazar in Dumuria Upazila, showed that prices of key varieties have nearly halved compared to last year.
Currently, wholesale prices are being recorded at Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,800 per maund for Himsagar, Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,500 for Langra, and Tk 1,300 to Tk 1,500 for Amrapali.
Farmers said although fruit production was strong this year, the absence of enough wholesale buyers has forced them into distress sales.
"We had hoped to recover losses from previous years, but there are hardly any big traders in the market. At these prices, even transport and labour costs are difficult to cover, let alone profit," said a local mango grower.
Farmers and traders blamed the price crash on a combination of factors, including a shortage of wholesalers from different parts of the country, rising production costs-estimated to have increased by 25-30 per cent-and a sudden surge in supply as multiple varieties ripened at the same time due to intense heat and changing weather conditions.
As a result, supply has exceeded demand, causing a rapid fall in prices in the wholesale market.
According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, mango cultivation is carried out on around 60 hectares of land in Dumuria, involving approximately 2,675 farmers.
Dumuria model mango farmer and teacher Nazrul Islam said that although the season started with hopes of a good profit, the sudden market slump has created deep concern among growers.
He said varieties such as Langra, Himsagar, Amrapali and Mollika are now flooding local markets during mid-Jaishtha, but a lack of buyers has sharply reduced prices.
Farmers from Aatlia, Khornia, Tipna and Shovna-Sahas areas alleged that sudden heatwaves followed by rainfall caused early ripening of mangoes, forcing simultaneous market entry.
They also claimed that traders and wholesalers have formed syndicates to push prices down.
Dumuria Upazila Agriculture Officer, Agriculturist Md Nazmul Huda, said that market conditions were relatively better in late May and before Eid, when mangoes were selling at Tk 1,600 to Tk 3,600 per maund.
However, a sudden drop in the number of wholesalers and weak market management has led to the current situation.
