Farmers eying bumper ‘Haribhanga’ mango yield

Farmers are expecting a bumper production of the fibreless, fleshy and highly tasty local variety ‘Haribhanga’ mango in Rangpur agriculture region this season.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) at its regional office here predicted a super bumper output of the mango this time following favourable climatic conditions.

Harvest of ‘Haribhanga’ mango will begin from the third week of June to continue till July next in the region.

Though there were less rainfalls during the past couple of months, recent rainfalls helped a lot in smooth growth of the tender fruit resulting in comparatively big-sized ‘Haribhanga’ mango having huge demand in local markets.

Hundreds of farmers have cultivated ‘Haribhanga’ mango on 2,500 hectares of land in all five districts of the region, including on 1,865 hectares of land in Rangpur alone, this year.

“We’re expecting a production of 25,000 tonnes of ‘Haribhanga’ mango worth about Taka 175 crore this season,” Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its Rangpur regional office Agriculturist Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam told BSS today.

Last year, farmers produced over 24,000 tonnes of ‘Haribhanga’ mango in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts of the region.

“Commercial basis cultivation of ‘Haribhanga’ is expanding every year in the region and bringing self-reliance to hundreds of farmers,” Islam said.

‘Haribhanga’ mango is mostly being cultivated in the orchards in Podaganj, Khoragach, Ruposhi, Rangatipara, Bangaon, Paikarerhat, Rukniganj, Tekani, Moyenpur, Kadamtola, Lalpukur, Shukurerhat, Sikarpur, Fulchowki, Tilakpara, Kashimpur, Ucha Balua, Matherhat and many other villages in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur district.

The mango is largely being cultivated in dozens of villages under all other seven upazilas of Rangpur as well as other places of Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari district under this agricultural region.

“Besides, cultivation of ‘Haribhanga’ mango is expanding fast in Parbotipur, Nababganj, Fulbari, Birampur and Chirirbandar upazilas of Dinajpur district and many other areas all over the division in recent years,” Islam added.

Additional Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Masudur Rahman Sarker farmers have cultivated ‘Haribhanga’ mango on 1,865 hectares of land in Rangpur alone and the tender mangoes are growing superbly predicting plentiful output this season.

“The per kg price of ‘Haribhanga’ mango remains between Taka 60 and 80 in the beginning though the same rises up to Taka 300 to 400 at the end of the harvesting season in July,” Sarker added.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the DAE, Department of Agriculture Marketing and district administration have taken steps to ensure smooth marketing of ‘Haribhanga’ mango to assist farmers in getting fair price of their produce.

“Besides, a number of youths of Rangpur city and Mithapukur upazila have taken steps for online marketing of ‘Haribhanga’ mango’ to reach the tasty fruit to people across the country through courier services,” Sarker added.

Successful ‘Haribhanga’ mango cultivators Amjad Hossain Paikar, Shajahan Mian, Hasan Mian, Nazrul Islam, Ansar Ali and Abdus Salam of Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur predicted a super bumper production of the mango this season.