Katimon, an all-season mango, has been experimentally cultivated for the last two- year on nine hectares of land in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi district.
According to sources various kinds of mango including Fazli, Gopal Bhog, Khirsapat, Luxman Bhog, Langra, Amrapali and Ashina are grown on some 18,515 hectares of land in Rajshahi district. Mango cultivation being more profitable than other crops, most of the farmers in Rajshahi are now increasingly interested in cultivating mango in their fields.
According to the officials of the Department of Agriculture, Katimon is a completely new variety in Bangladesh, it is in an experimental stage for the last two-year and it is getting popular among the farmers of Puthia, Charghat and Bagha upazilas of the district. Farmers said all other varieties of mangoes are harvested during the Summer but the Katimon variety of mango grows in all seasons of the year and is more profitable than those of other varieties.
Umme Salma, Training Officer of Rajshahi Agriculture Extension Department, informed that the new variety of Katimon mango is being cultivated on nine hectares of land in Rajshahi. Due to taking care of the trees regularly, there is an inspiring growth of the fruits and the mangoes produced on the trees are being sold at a high price. As a result more farmers of the district are interested in cultivating the Katimon variety of mango.
Mango farmer, Shakatwat Hossain Munshi of village Kanaiprara under Puthia upazila informed, almost every year new varieties of mangoes are being cultivated and by testing the quality of those mangoes, farmers finally cultivate those commercially. The newly introduced Katimon mango is very tasty and without any fibre. If properly cared for, this variety of mango yields three times a year. As a result, farmers are interested in cultivating the mango. He further mentioned, the saplings of Katimon variety of mango is also being produced in various nurseries and the sale of this type of saplings has also been increased.
Another farmer Asaduzaman of village Jeupara of same upazila informed, he transplanted saplings of Katimon variety of mango on two acres of land last year. This year during the off season mangoes have grown on some trees while some are on the flowering stage. He further mentioned, at present Katimon mango is being sold at Tk 250 to 280 per kg. He added, there is a tremendous demand for this variety of mango in the market.
Nursery owner Khalid Hossain informed, his nursery holds some 500,000 mango saplings of various varieties of which there are 50,000 Katimon saplings. Each piece of Katimon sapling is being sold at Tk 300 to 400 in the market.
Shamsul Haque, former Deputy Director of DAE, Rajshahi, informed Katimon is a variety of Thailand and Vietnam. This variety of mango may be produced commercially in Rajshahi region year round.
Dr Alim Uddin, Chief Scientific Officer of Rajshahi Horticulture Research Centre informed, ' Katimon is a foreign variety of mango which has been cultivated experimentally for the last two-year. Farmers are getting more profit by cultivating this type of mango.
