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Commercial mango cultivation is increasing in Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban districts as the demand for mangoes is high in the market.
Cultivators saw a bumper mango yield this season due to favourable weather conditions and fertile soil in the hill districts.
The production target in the three districts this year is over two lakh tonnes of mangoes with an estimated worth of Tk 900 crore.
This year, the fruit hit the shelves earlier than usual. Farmers are currently busy harvesting mangoes in their orchards. Traders are also happy with the yield and fair market prices.
Various species of domestic and foreign mangoes, including Amrapali, Ranguai, Haribhanga, Kyuzai, and Bari-4, are cultivated in three hill districts. Among them, Amrapali and Ranguai varieties are the most cultivated.
Different varieties of mangoes are currently selling at Tk 40-200 per kg in the local market. These mangoes are also being exported to other districts.
Because of its beautiful appearance, delicious taste and large size, the mangoes produced here are in high demand all over the country.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), among the three districts, the production of mangoes has been highest in Bandarban.
Bandarban DAE Deputy Director MM Shah Neaz said, “As the soil and climate in hilly areas are suitable for mango cultivation, the production of mangoes in the region is increasing gradually. Our department is working to expand the cultivation of new varieties of mango suitable for hills.”
According to the data available with DAE, Bandarban, mangoes have been cultivated on over 10,000 hectares of land in the district. The production target has been set at 1,20,000 tonnes with an estimated market value of over Tk 480 crore.
Last year over 1,10,000 tonnes of mango were produced in the district.
In Rangamati, different varieties of mangoes have been cultivated on 3,600 hectares of land this year. Among these, Amrapali has been cultivated on 1,400 hectares, Ranguai on 1,050 hectares, Bari-4 on 100 hectares, Mallika on 75 hectares, Haribhanga on 60 hectares and other varieties have been planted on 915 hectares.
The production target per hectare has been fixed at 10.5 tonnes. According to that, 37,800 tonnes of mangoes worth a market value of Tk 151.2 crore are to be harvested this season in the district.
In Khagrachari, different varieties of mangoes have been cultivated on 3,843 hectares of land this year. The production target is 42,273 tonnes with an estimated market value of over Tk 275 crore.
Farmers deprived of fair price
However, while mango farming is increasing in the region, the marginal farmers expressed their dissatisfaction with the market price while speaking with this correspondent.
Devjyoti Chakma, a mango farmer of Changrachhari in Kutukchari of Rangamati Sadar Upazila has cultivated 1,000 Amrapali, 100 Ranguai and 20 Bari-4 and expects a yield of 35 tonnes, 3 tonnes and 1 tonne respectively.
“I have already sold some mangoes. But I am worried about the low price of the Amrapali variety. This year I sold it at Tk 40 per kg while last year it was Tk 70-80 per kg,” he said.
Farmer Rupayan Chakma, a resident of Wagga union of the district’s Kaptai upazila, said mango trees require extensive care. “If not properly tended to, the fruits grow smaller in size and pest infestation increases. Green mangoes only sell for Tk 15-20 but it is expensive to take care of them till the fruit ripens before selling. The prices are low this year.”
In regard to the prices, Rangamati DAE Deputy Director Md Maniruzzaman said that it does not fall under their jurisdiction. He said DAE provides advice, field-specific training, improved seeds, fertilisers and technical assistance to the farmers to increase and expand production.
Lack of storage facility
Despite the bumper harvest, the lack of proper storage facility for seasonal fruits in the region was a big worry for the farmers.
Ripe mangoes have a short shelf life and due to the lack of proper storage spaces, the farmers have no other option but to sell their produce as soon as harvested.
In this regard, Ananda Chakma of Bandukbhanga union in Rangamati Sadar upazila said mangoes are rot-prone fruit.
“Farmers are deprived of fair prices due to the lack of storage system for seasonal fruits. Also, if a fruit processing factory is established in the area, farmers can sell their harvest easily and benefit from it,” he added.
In this regard, Rangamati District Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman told The Business Post that the government is taking initiatives to set up specialised modern cold storage in the hills. He added that the storage will have different chambers with separate temperature control systems for various seasonal fruits.
