Huge sales projected following bumper yield of mangoes

Highlights:

• Officials estimated that Satkhira will produce 45,500 tonnes of mangoes worth at least Tk225 crore
• Mango production in Satkhira was 2-3 times more than the target, so sales are expected to reach around Tk500 crore
• Rajshahi is expected to produce 2.58 lakh tonnes of mangoes worth Tk1,500 crore
• Authorities have fixed date for mango harvesting to ensure that artificially ripened mangoes do not hit the market

Bumper yields at orchards in Satkhira and Rajshahi have made mango growers and agricultural officials hopeful that sales of the fruit might exceed expectations.

The district administrations have fixed dates for harvesting different types of mangoes so that unscrupulous traders cannot market artificially ripened and unsafe fruit.

The authorities have also been conducting drives to destroy adulterated mangoes, said sources.

Satkhira expects better than expected sales

According to the Directorate of Agricultural Extension, orchards on around 4,115 hectares of land in the district were initially expected to yield 45,500 tonnes of mango worth at least Tk225 crore.

"However, production has been two-three times more than the target. As such, I think this year Satkhira's mango sales will cross Tk400-500 crore," said Saiful Islam, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in the district.

The Satkhira administration has decided that orchard owners will start harvesting Gopalbhog, Govindbhog, Bombay and Gopalkhas mangoes on 12 May, Himsagar on 25 May, Langra on 1 June, Amrapali on 15 June.

The authorities are taking legal actions where farmers are harvesting mangoes before the scheduled date, said Mohammad Humayun Kabir, deputy commissioner of Satkhira.

He said the district's mangoes are famous at home and abroad. Their reputation will not be tarnished in any way. Various unscrupulous traders are trying to market artificially ripened mangoes. The administration is destroying those adulterated fruits.

Besides, all traders and related parties have been warned that they should market only naturally ripened and safe mangoes.

Around 56,840 kg of artificially ripened mangoes have been destroyed in seven upazilas of the district through mobile court operations as of 30 April, said Bishnupada Pal, additional district magistrate of Satkhira.

Satkhira farmers export mangoes to different European countries every year. For the ninth time this year, these mangoes will be exported to Italy, France, Denmark, Germany and England. However, there are no statistics on what quantity of mangoes will be exported, said sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension.

Biplab Bhattacharya, a mango grower in Satkhira, said, "The yield of mangoes this year is better than in other years. We will be able to recover previous losses if we can market the mangoes properly and get a fair price.

"Currently I am selling green mangoes, which are used for making pickles, at Tk500-800 per maund (40 kg)."

He complained that he has been facing problems as wholesale buyers often pay the orchard growers very low prices, while fraudulent traders market artificially ripened mangoes to make excessive profits.

Mango harvest in Rajshahi to begin today

At a meeting yesterday with the police, the Department of Agricultural Extension, mango growers, traders and courier service operators, the Rajshahi district administration decided to start the harvesting of mangoes in the district from today.

According to the district administration, harvesting Guti mangoes there will start on 4 May, Gopalbhog on 15 May, Rani Pachhanda and Lakhna on 20 May, Himsagar or Khirsapati on 25 May, Langra on 6 June, Amrapali on 10 June, Fazli on 15 June, Ashwina, Bari Mango-4, an Gauramati on 10 July, and Ilamati and Katiman mangoes on 20 August.

Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ahmed said the dates have been fixed to ensure that people across the country get unadulterated ripe mangoes.

Mozdar Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, said this year orchards on 19,578 hectares of land in the district are expected to yield 2.58 lakh tonnes of mangoes worth Tk1,500 crore.