Bumper Haribhanga mango output likely in Rangpur

Rangpur farmers are expecting a bumper production of the fibreless, fleshy and highly yummy Haribhanga mango as its harvest continues in full swing now with excellent yield rate in the district.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) predicted a bumper output of the mango despite a little damage caused by hailstorms and heavy rains during the fruit formation periods this season.

Though there were less rainfalls during and after the flowering stage, subsequent rainfalls helped a lot in smooth growth of the tender fruit resulting in comparatively big-sized Haribhanga mango having huge demand in local markets.

Hundreds of farmers have cultivated Haribhanga mango on 2,500 hectares of land in all five districts of Rangpur region and adjoining areas, including on 1,865 hectares of land in Rangpur alone, this year.

“We are expecting a production of 29,000 tonnes of Haribhanga mango worth about Tk 100 crore at the farmers’ levels in Rangpur alone this season,” Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Agriculturist Md. Obaidur Rahman Mandal said. Commercial basis cultivation of Haribhanga mango is expanding every year and bringing self-reliance to hundreds of farmers.

Haribhanga mango is mostly being cultivated in the orchards in Podaganj, Khoragach, Ruposhi, Rangatipara, Bangaon, Paikarerhat, Rukniganj, Tekani, Moyenpur, Kadamtala, Lalpukur, Shukurerhat, Shikarpur, Phulchowki, Tilakpara, Kashimpur, Ucha Balua, Matherhat and many other villages in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur.

The mango is largely being cultivated in dozens of villages under all other seven upazilas of Rangpur and other places of Rangpur agriculture region and adjoining Parbatipur, Nababganj, Phulbari, Birampur and Chirirbandar upazilas of Dinajpur.

Market sources said the per kg price of Haribhanga mango currently remains between Tk 60 and 80 and the price is rising every day onward as harvesting of the mango will end by this month end.

“The price of Haribhanga mango might go up to 300 to 500 per kg at the end of the harvesting season in the last week of this month,” said fruit trader at Rangpur City Bazar Fazlur Rahman Monday.

Local people said Nafal Uddin Paikar, a tree-loving man from Tekani village in Khoragachh union of Mithapukur upazila first started farming Haribhanga mango about seven decades ago.

Nafal Uddin Paikar died in 1970, the year before Bangladesh’s independence, at the age of 120.

“Now the mother Haribhanga tree planted by Nafal Uddin Paikar is 68 years old,” said Amjad Hossain Paikar, son of Nafal Uddin Paikar.

Amjad Hossain Paikar demanded protection of the mother Haribhanga mango plant.

Shahjahan Miah, a mango farmer from Tekani village of Khoragachh union, said he has been cultivating Haribhanga mango on an orchard since 2012 and is reaping better profits every year.

One of the successful mango farmers Abdus Salam of village Akhirarhat in Mithapukur upazila said he has been cultivating the indigenous variety of Haribhanga mango since 1992 contributing a lot to the expansion of its farming in Rangpur region.