Sapahar mango growers count losses for ‘52kg maund' practice

NAOGAON, July 11:  Despite government directives requiring mangoes to be traded by the kilogram, the long-standing practice of treating 50 to 52 kilograms as one maund continues at Sapahar, one of the country's largest wholesale mango markets, prompting growers to allege financial losses.

Farmers claim they are being forced to provide up to 10 to 12 kilograms of extra mangoes with every maund sold under the traditional dhalta system, reducing their income at a time when production costs have increased and prices remain lower than expected. Traders, however, argue they have little choice as the same practice is still followed in major wholesale markets across the country.

A visit to the Sapahar mango market found brisk trading, with wholesalers, traders and buyers from different districts purchasing various mango varieties, including Amrapali, Langra, Banana Mango, Bari-4 and Haribhanga. Stretching about 3.5 kilometres along the Sapahar-Nazipur regional road, the market becomes active before dawn as farmers arrive with crates of mangoes on vans, battery-powered vehicles and auto-rickshaws.

According to growers, although the administration has instructed traders to buy and sell mangoes by the kilogram, most wholesalers continue to calculate one maund as 50 to 52 kilograms. As a result, farmers are effectively supplying several kilograms of mangoes without payment.

On Sunday, Amrapali mangoes were selling for Tk 2,000 to Tk 4,500 per maund depending on quality. Langra fetched Tk 1,600 to Tk 2,400, Banana Mango Tk 2,700 to Tk 4,000, Haribhanga Tk 1,800 to Tk 3,200 and Bari-4 Tk 1,600 to Tk 2,400.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), mangoes have been cultivated on 30,500 hectares of land in Naogaon this season, with production estimated at around 450,000 tonnes. Last year, the district produced about 375,000 tonnes from 30,300 hectares.

Abdus Salam, a mango grower from Kuchinda in Sapahar, said he cultivated Amrapali mangoes on 10 bighas of land and brought 35 crates to the market.

"Last year, I sold mangoes of the same quality for Tk 3,000 to Tk 3,200 per maund. This year, buyers are offering only Tk 2,500 to Tk 2,800. On top of that, they are counting 52 kilograms as one maund. I may not even recover my production costs," he said.

Kamruzzaman, a grower from Saraigachhi Village in Porsha Upazila, said farmers had expected kilogram-based trading after the government's announcement.

"But when we came to the market, we found the old 50 to 52-kilogram system still in place. Yields are lower and prices have fallen. If we also have to provide extra mangoes, many farmers will not be able to sustain mango cultivation," he said, urging the authorities to enforce the policy in the field.

Traders said the practice continues because wholesale markets across the country still follow the same system.
Azahar Ali, a trader from Chattogram, said demand has weakened this season and many traders are struggling to sell their purchases despite buying at lower prices.

Imam Hossain Rifat, general secretary of the Sapahar Upazila Mango Traders' Cooperative Society Ltd, said enforcing kilogram-based sales only in Sapahar would put local traders at a disadvantage while other major markets continued using the traditional system.

Sapahar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Romana Riaz said the administration has strengthened market monitoring by deploying additional police and village police personnel. She said no formal complaints regarding the weighing system had yet been received, but assured that any complaint would be investigated and necessary legal action taken.