A huge blossoming of mango buds in almost all grown trees of Rajshahi and Chapainwabganj districts is predicting a good yield of mango this year. In the districts already over 80 per cent of mango trees have been blossomed.
However, a long absence of rainfall for over seven months and the ensuing Nor'wester and summer heat are threatening to damage the smooth growth of mango buds into green-mangoes.
If the rainfall does not occur within this month (February), the blossoming of mango and the growth of mango buds may be hampered badly, informed officials of Agriculture Department in Rajshahi.
According to Horticulture Research Centre in Rajshahi, this year is ' On year' for mango production. That is why huge mango buds are seen to blossom on the trees. Almost around 80 per cent of grown-up trees of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Natore and Naogaon where quality mangoes are produced, have been blossomed and some are bearing buds as well as tiny green mangoes.
According to a report of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), in Bangladesh mango is cultivated on 61,885 hectares of land out of which more than 25,000 hectares is cultivated in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts only. A total of 662,100 metric tons of mangoes on an average are produced every year.
It is learnt, farmers of mango growing region are taking care of the mango trees and the buds of the mangoes. They are spraying insecticides at the sprouting mango buds and pouring water at the roots of the trees to ensure a good yield. However, the mango farmers and mango orchard owners are deeply worried about the long absence of rainfall which, they think, would hamper the growth of mango.
Meanwhile, being profitable, labour-cost efficient and almost risk-free, the number of mango trees is increasing in greater districts of Rajshahi, Chpainawabganj, Natore and Naogaon. It is learnt, many farmers who grew paddy in their field year-round are transplanting mango trees in those field by abandoning paddy cultivation. Specially, in the Barind areas of Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts, more than 8,000 hectares of land have been brought under mango cultivation during the last couples of years. It is hoped, the production of mango in the districts would increase further when these trees will grow fully and yield more mangoes.