Fazli mango market gains momentum in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, July 7 (BSS): The market of fazli, popularly known as the king of mangoes, has gained momentum in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts, famous for various varieties of the summer fruit, on the last leg of the ongoing vibrant mango trading.
In addition to generating employment for over 0.15 million (one and a half lakh) people, transaction of more than Tk 15 billion (1,500 crore) has taken place centring on the mango farming, trading and transportation during the peak season.
Besides, a large number of people are seen engaged in developing new mango orchards on cultivable lands in the vast Barind tract and char areas.
In this season, if anyone visits any parts of the two districts at anytime, they will find many people, visitors in particular, trying to grab the delicious fruit whatever the price is.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), there are around 1.9 million (19 lakh) mango trees on 25,000 hectares of land in the two districts.
Additional Director of DAE, Rajshahi Abdul Hannan told the news agency that each mango tree bloomed immensely in this season, but some of those were affected by inclement weather.
Despite this, he said, the DAE had set the production target at 0.25 million (2.5 lakh) tonnes of mango for the current season.
The businessmen are now getting optimum price of fazli mango, as all other early varieties have almost disappeared from the market on the last leg of the mango season.
The traders and growers are also highly satisfied with the output. Prices range between Tk 60 to Tk 65 a kg, the traders said. Similarly, markets in Natore, Pabna and Naogaon are also flooded with mangoes.
Now, fazli mango is being sold at Tk 2400 to Tk 2600 a maund depending on their size and quality at many markets like Shaheb Bazar, Baneshwar, Charghat and Bagha of Rajshahi and Sadar, Moharajpur, Ranihati, Kansat, Mobarakpur, Chowdala, Rohanpur, Mollikpur and Bholahat in Chapainawabganj.
Around 250 trucks are now transporting mangoes to different areas of the country, including Dhaka, Chittagong, Choumohani, Narayanganj, Comilla and Feni every day.
Nurul Islam, a wholesaler at Kansat, told the newsmen that the mangoes will be available until the middle of the next month.
Mangoes of Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj usually ripen late and the growers can preserve their fruits on trees for long. So, the farmers and businessmen get higher price.
On the other hand, he said, the number of cases of mangoes being mixed with carbide and other harmful chemicals has come down to a greater extent this season due to the enforcement of punitive measures and surveillance by the law enforcement agencies.
He also opined that the climate change has had a bad impact on mango trees.
Mozammel Hossain Tutul, general secretary of Bholahat Mango Foundation, said that a large quantity of mangoes gets damaged every year due to lack of preservation and processing facilities here.
In this context, he said additional employment scopes could be created if processing factories are established here.
Mango is an important seasonal cash crop in northwestern Bangladesh, especially in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj.
Every season, a large number of people get 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, a horticulturist in Rajshahi.
"Mango brings money to all kinds of people in Baneswar," mango trader Shariful Islam said, adding that even a labourer earns Tk 500 to Tk 1,000 a day during the season.