Mango is the leading seasonal cash crop of the country's northwestern region and dominates the economy in the four districts: Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Natore. As the growers in general are interested to farm mango, its inter-cropping gains momentum in Rajshahi. Mango intercropping with various cereal crops especially paddy has been gaining momentum in the region including its vast Barind tract.
In the wake of the adverse impact of climate change, the farmers have been facing trouble with depending on only paddy cultivation for the last couple of years. To get more income and to recoup the losses, they are cultivating paddy, onion, garlic, brinjal, mustard, turmeric and papaya.
By dint of excellent output, the farmers created new orchards following a new method. According to sources from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the beneficiary farmers cultivated mango on around 20,000 hectares of land in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Natore districts.
The Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Station said inter-cropping with sugarcane has been found to be more beneficial to the farmers as it can boost acreage as well as ensure sustainable mango cultivation with higher economic benefit compared to other crops.  Â
Quoting the field-level research findings and farmers' view, the mango researchers said systematic inter-cropping of paddy, onion, lentil, mug bean, garlic and some other winter crops, vegetables and spice helps increase mango yield compared to sole-cropping. Research showed that inter-cropping not only increases total crop production but also helps improve soil health and fertility with little or no negative effect on mango yield and quality.
Furthermore, inter-cropping creates additional jobs needed for intensive crop production. They underscored the need for wide-ranging expansion of mango inter-cropping through re-energising the field level agricultural officials and staff for the nation's food security.    Â
The production of the juicy fruit increases each year. Yet, not a single mango-processing plant has been established in the region for preservation of the fruits till date. Mangoes grow almost everywhere in the Rajshahi district. However Paba, Charghat and Bagha have a long tradition of producing quality mangoes. As the growers earn large sums of money from mango farming, it encourages many others towards farming mangoes resulting in an escalation of acreage.
If possible, this sector can contribute a lot to the region's economy as the processed foods are of enormous demand, apart from their high market value. Mango is a perishable item. So, it needs immediate consumption or processing for its value addition. Besides, various natural calamities like storms, hailstorms, gusty winds, tornadoes and droughts cause a significant portion of the blossom to fall from the trees, reducing the yield significantly. The modern processing plants can make the fallen mangoes valued food items and protect them from getting damaged.
Due to nor'westers and hailstorms, the expected yield from the mango orchards was hampered to some extent this year. Mango growers fear 30 to 40 per cent drop in production this year in the region due to natural calamities and other irregular weather patterns. Nevertheless, bumper mango production is likely in Naogaon. Mango growers in Sapahar and Porsha upazilas of the district are optimistic about getting a bumper production of the money-spinning fruit this season.
Although Chapainawabganj in the region is called the capital of mango, Sapahar and Porsha upazilas have captured the position next to it in producing the summer fruit. Export of mangoes from the two upazilas, apart from other parts of the region, fetches a substantial amount of foreign currency, after meeting the domestic demand. However, the growers and traders fear of low prices of mangoes this year due to lack of a proper preservation system. Various types of mangoes, including Amrapali, Chosha, Mallika, Bari-3 and 4, Fazli, Surma, Nak Fazli, Lengra, Gopalbhog, Khirshapat, Mohonbhog are mainly cultivated in the two upazilas. Hundreds of tonnes of mangoes are supplied to different parts of the country from here every season.
Besides, export of the Bari-4 variety mango of Ghatnagar area in Porsha upazila to the United States started last year. Traders at different wholesale markets are busy preparing to send their supplies outside.
An agriculture officer of Sapahar Upazila said this year a target was set to produce 150,000 tonnes of mango from 10,500 hectares of land; with roughly more than 10 tonnes coming from every hectare. The fruit will be exported to other countries after meeting the local demand. However, the mango growers are in apprehension of unfair price due to manipulation by a local syndicate of middlemen.
The Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Sapahar Upazila said mango growers have been affected due to lack of publicity, preservation and processing facilities, which might cause economic losses to the country. He also said a letter has been sent to the authorities concerned, seeking immediate establishment of a cold storage for betterment of the mango growers.
The DAE Naogaon said this year a total of 15,000 hectares of land were brought under mango cultivation in the district. Besides, the growers also cultivated hybrid mango varieties for the last five years, boosting mango production in the two upazilas. Â
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Rajshahi said the district administration adopted various awareness-raising measures against marketing chemically-tainted mangoes. Already, 800 kilograms of carbide-mixed mangoes have been destroyed at different places in the district. A mango trader at Charghat said some dishonest traders had started harvesting green mangoes much before ripening. They were trying to market those after ripening them artificially. For this reason, the punitive measures were taken.
Mangoes mixed with deadly chemicals such as carbide are extremely hazardous for human health. The chemical has a long-term effect on human health. Only 100 grams of calcium carbide can ripen nearly 100 kilogram of mangoes while the chemicals could cause deadly diseases like cancer, kidney and liver complications.
The writer is a retired Professor of Economics, BCS General Education Cadre. Email:Â sarwarmdskhaled@gmail.com
Mango cultivation in Bangladesh
Md Saifullah Khaled | Published: June 04, 2016 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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