RAJSHAHI, July 13, 2018 (BSS)- With onrushing of huge sellers and buyers
the market of fazli, king of mango, has gained momentum in Rajshahi and
Chapainawabganj districts, famous for mango production in the country, at the
middle stage of the ongoing vibrant mango trading.
The businessmen are now getting optimum price of Fazli mango as all other
early varieties have almost disappeared from the market. The traders and
growers are also highly satisfied with the outputs.
The price range is between Tk 60 to Tk 65 per kg, the traders said, which
is affordable for the buyers. Similarly, markets in Natore, Pabna and Naogaon
are also flooded with mangoes.
Now, Fazli mango is being sold at Taka 2400 to Taka 2600 per mound
according to size and quality at many of the markets like Shaheb Bazar,
Baneshwar, Charghat and Bagha of Rajshahi and Sadar, Moharajpur, Ranihati,
Kansat, Mobarakpur, Chowdala, Rohanpur, Mollikpur and Vholahat in
Chapapainawabganj.
In addition to creating employment for over one and half lakh people,
transaction of more than Taka 1,500 crore has been done centering the mango
farming, trading and transporting during the peak season.
At present, if any one visits the two districts he or she will see mango
and its vending and many people and the visitors in particular purchasing the
delicious fruit whatever the price is.
Likewise, large numbers of people are seen engaged in creating new mango
orchards on the cultivable lands in the vast Barind tract and char areas.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), there are
around 19 lakh mango trees on 25,000 hectares of land in the two districts.
Additional director of DAE, Rajshahi SM Mustafizur Rahman told BSS that
every of the mango trees were bloomed immensely this season but some of those
were affected due to adverse weather.
DAE had set a target of production of 2.5 lakh tonnes of mango in the
current season.
Around 250 trucks are now transporting mangoes to different areas of the
country especially Dhaka, Chittagong, Chowmohani, Narayanganj, Cumilla and
Feni.
Nurul Islam, a wholesaler of Kansat, said the mango will be available till
mid of the next month.
Mango of Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj is conventionally late ripening and
the growers can also preserve their fruits on trees for long so the farmers
and businessmen get higher price.
On the other hand, he said the amount of mango mixed with carbide and other
harmful chemicals has been reduced to a greater extent this season for
punitive measures and surveillance by the law enforcement agencies.
But, he opined that the climate change has created a bad impact on the
mango trees.
Mozammel HossainTutul, General Secretary of Volahat Mango Foundation,
informed that huge quantity of mango gets damaged every year due to lack of
processing and preservation facilities here.
In this context, he said additional employment scopes could be created if
processing factory is established.
Mango is an important seasonal cash crop in northwestern Bangladesh,
especially Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj. Every season, a large number of
people are involved in various types of works in these areas.
“It creates job opportunities for many people and they can earn some extra
money,” said Monzurul Huda, Deputy Director of DAE.
“Mango brings money to all sections of people in Baneswar,” said mango
trader Shariful Islam, adding that even a labourer earns Tk 500 to Tk 1,000
per day during the season.