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Naogaon now new hub for mango


Published : 16 Jun 2019 05:36 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 04:11 PM

Although Chapainawabganj was known as the capital of mango in the country, Naogaon is now prime hub for mango harvest as production of the summer fruit increased in the district.

The mango growers and traders said that Naogaon has emerged as a new capital of mangoes leaving behind Chapainawabganj.

The lion’s share of the country’s total production of mangoes come from Naogaon, which was so long in the possession of Chapainawabganj. As the mangoes of Naogaon are palatable, so, mangoes have been exported abroad for the last two years.

According to the sources of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the mango production in the country during the fiscal year 2018-19, was a little over 23 lakh 72 thousand tons.  Out of the total production, Naogaon produces 3 lakh 33 thousand and 486 tons of mangoes, while Chapainawabganj produced 2 lakh 75 thousand tons and Rajshahi produces 2 lakh 13  thousand and 426 tons of mangoes. But even, in the fiscal year 2016-17 the produce of mangoes in Naogan was 1 lakh 61 thousand and 910 tons.

This year Chapainawabbganj produced 2 lakh and 44 thousand tons, while Rajshahi produced 2 lakh 8 thousand 664 tons of mangoes. The DAE sources said that before mango groves were on 18 thousand hectares of land, now, the mango groves had developed on 17 thousand 463 hectares of land, while the mango groves have developed on only 4 thousand and 823 hectares of land in Natore .

Mango cultivation is more profitable than rice cultivation in the Barindra Tract. So, a revolution is going on in Noagaon for mango cultivation.

Every year mango groves develop on more than two thousand hectares of land. For soil characteristics, (slime) the mangoes of Naogaon become tasty, so these mangoes are in great demand in various palaces including the capital. But as the mango preservation system and the wholesale market for mangoes during the full season have not developed, so the mangoes cultivators do not get fair prices. 

Many said that more mango research centres should be set up to produce more mangoes. The mango groves in the last seven years was only on 6 thousand hectares of land, but now mango groves have developed on about 20 thousand hectares of land.

Many varieties of mangos such as Guti, Langra, Fazlee, Khirsapat, Mohanbog, Ashwini, Gopalbogh, Haribhanhga, Amropali, Bari 34, and 11, Nakfazlee, Gouromoti, are now cultivated in Naogaon and other parts. The cultivation of the variety Nakfazlee is increasing day by day as the variety is less perishable and tastier. Nakfazlee’s demand in the market is on the rise.

Nurzzaman of Jamgram of Patnitala said, “Nakfazlee mango plants were grown here 10-15 years ago. This mango is tasty, and it has less fiber and is less perishable and has demand in the market. So, the cultivators are more inclined to cultivate this variety of mango.” 

Amiruddin of Bengalpara and Nuruzzaman of Islampur said, “The cultivators earn more income from mango cultivation than other crops. For this the cultivators are more interested in mango cultivation.”

Ahsan Shaheed Sarker, Additional Deputy Director of the district DAE, said, “The income of mangos from each bigha of land is about Tk. 40 thousand to 1 lakh, and cultivation of mangos require less irrigation than paddy cultivation. So, cultivators are encouraged to cultivate mangos.” 

He further said, “Hundreds of tons of mangos are grown in the district annually. But as there is no wholesale market in the district, the cultivators sell the mangos urgently at a lower price.” 

Every year on average, mango grove develops on more than 2 thousand hectares of land, he further said.  

Ahsan Habib Khan, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Rajshai Divisional DAE, said, “Mangos of Naogaon are matchless because of fertile land suitable for mango cultivation. Every year mango groves are going to grow fast in Naogaon, and soon there will be a revolution for mango production.”