Despite huge blossom of mangoes this season total production is likely to fall due to stormy weather. Mango production this season is expected to reach about 3.5 lakh metric tonnes (mt), about 30 percent fewer than last year in greater Chapai-Rajshashi districts. Although a favorable hot and humid weather helped huge blossoming of the premature mangos but monsoon thunderstorms have destroyed substantial amount of the mangoes.
Dr Md Shafiqul Islam, Chief Scientific Officer of Chapainawabganj Mango Research Institute told Bangladesh Post, “This year we are expecting about 1,50,000 mt of quality varieties of mango. Last year we produced over 2.74 lakh metric tonnes (mt) from 29,500 hectares mango orchards.” “The fall in production is attributed to recent thunderstorms which swept over greater Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj regions,” said Islam.
Dr Alim Uddin, Principal Scientific Officer of Rajshahi’s Fruit Research Station echoed similar concern saying, “Weather was very favourable but we may get fewer harvest this year as thunderstorm this week caused sporadic damages in many places in greater Rajshahi district.” He said that this season in greater Rajshahi mango on 17,465 hectares of land are expected to produce an estimated 2.13 lakh mt of mango.
One of the mango orchard owners, Hafizur Rahman, however, was optimistic. He said, “We have had favorable weather in the beginning of this year which definitely was a good news but things turned upside down with the stormy rains and sudden windy weather this week.” Meanwhile, district officials have formally announced harvesting of mango in Rajshahi district from today (Wednesday). They said that separate dates would be announced for harvesting of different varieties of the mangoes from this day onward.
The initiative has been taken to prevent harvest of pre-mature fruits and hence loss of business. “Many farmers often tend to pick mangoes which are not matured yet to make early profits without considering the fact that harvesting the same fruits a few weeks later many give extra weight and so more income,” said a local businessman in Rajshahi.
In the meantime, mango growers say pre-monsoon rain has helped the trees blossom to the full this year. Large quantities of different varieties of mango are expected but unexpected weather may affect harvest to some extent. Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj region has a long tradition of producing popular mango varieties like; Gopalbhog, Lengra, Himsagar, Ranipchanda, Mohonvog, Laxhmanvog, Dhudsor, Michrivog, Rajvog, Amropali and Chinichampa.
