In compared to the previous years, the arranging of mango markets (Haats) in Rajshahi district is being delayed at least for 15-day this year. The largest mango market in Baneswar under Puthia upazila of this year was first held on Friday ( May-29 last).
Mango traders and growers informed, due to delayed ripening of mango due to adverse climatic condition, the marketing of mango was also delayed this year.
After visiting the Baneswar mango market (Haat), this correspondent noticed, varieties of mangoes including Guti, Gopalbhog and Rani Pasand have been brought to the market for selling.
However, the selling of mango in the market has not yet been geared up. Only a small number of traders have brought mango at the market and the number of both the sellers and customers of mango at the market is also meagre. The price of mango is also comparatively low till now.
Mango traders at the market informed the 'guti' ( seed) variety of mango is being sold at Taka 800 to 900 per maund (40 kgs) while Gopalbhog variety of mango is being sold at Taka 1,700 to 200 per maund. No other varieties of mango were so far seen to bring at the market for selling.
Mango trader Anisur Rahman of Shibpur area informed, the plucking of mangoes at the orchards of the district has just started and this was the first-ever supply of mangoes in the market on Friday. He hoped, gradually, the supply will increase in the markets.
Another mango trader Shariful informed, due to an adverse climatic condition, it took a long time to ripe mango this year. Moreover, due to Coronavirus panic, only a few mango orchard owners dared to pluck mango. Still, he brought some mango in the market on Friday but there was no customer at the market and the price of mango was also low.
Zulfiqur Rahman, a customer of mango informed, he purchased mangoes every year from Baneswar market( heat) and send those to various places of the country through couriers services.
He added, he arrived at the market early this year to avoid a huge assemblage of the crowd at the market to purchase mango during the Coronavirus crisis. The price of mango at the market was under bo too high, he informed.
It is learnt, mango has been cultivated on 17,686 hectares of land in the district this year and the target of mango production in the district has been fixed at 2,10,000 metric tonnes.
There was a loss of some 20 to 25 percent of mango this year due to cyclone Amphand and the storm afterwards. The authorities of Bangladesh Railway, west zone, has taken up a measure to transport mango from Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi to Dhaka through the special train this year.