Mango growers brace for a bad harvest
Thursday, 8 April 2010
FE Report
The country's mango producers may get less-than-expected harvest this season as the ongoing 'drought' has swept across the main growing areas hitting the fruit buds, agricultural officials and farmers told the FE.
"The mango orchards need rain at this time, but unfortunately the fruit-growing areas have not had rainfall for a few weeks," said a scientific officer at Mango Research Institute in Chapainawabganj.
Farmers said that mango sprouts are drying up fast due to the lack of rainfall.
"How will we have good harvest this year when the mango buds are withering due to the lack of rain?" asked Makleshur Rahman, a mango producer at Kansat area in Chapainawabganj.
Md Khasru, an official at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Chapainawabganj, said many growers are rushing to his office every day for advice on how to save the mango buds from the severe hot spell.
"We've no modern technology to spray medicine on the mango trees. So the ultimate result will be bad harvest," he added.
Nazrul Islam, a mango producer at Gomostapur in Chapainawabganj, said he is now irrigating his gardens following the 'drought' saying: "This has increased the production cost."
Mango growers expected a bumper production this year as the trees were in full bloom in the northern districts.
There is a saying that there will be a bumper mango production every alternate year, said Khadimul Islam, a mango grower adding: "We had good harvest last year."
Mango, popularly called the king of fruits, is a cash crop in northwestern region, especially in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj, where the economy largely depends on its production.
The country's mango producers may get less-than-expected harvest this season as the ongoing 'drought' has swept across the main growing areas hitting the fruit buds, agricultural officials and farmers told the FE.
"The mango orchards need rain at this time, but unfortunately the fruit-growing areas have not had rainfall for a few weeks," said a scientific officer at Mango Research Institute in Chapainawabganj.
Farmers said that mango sprouts are drying up fast due to the lack of rainfall.
"How will we have good harvest this year when the mango buds are withering due to the lack of rain?" asked Makleshur Rahman, a mango producer at Kansat area in Chapainawabganj.
Md Khasru, an official at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Chapainawabganj, said many growers are rushing to his office every day for advice on how to save the mango buds from the severe hot spell.
"We've no modern technology to spray medicine on the mango trees. So the ultimate result will be bad harvest," he added.
Nazrul Islam, a mango producer at Gomostapur in Chapainawabganj, said he is now irrigating his gardens following the 'drought' saying: "This has increased the production cost."
Mango growers expected a bumper production this year as the trees were in full bloom in the northern districts.
There is a saying that there will be a bumper mango production every alternate year, said Khadimul Islam, a mango grower adding: "We had good harvest last year."
Mango, popularly called the king of fruits, is a cash crop in northwestern region, especially in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj, where the economy largely depends on its production.