Agricultural experts and extension officials urged the farmers to produce export-quality mangoes in the Rajshahi region including its vast Barind tract to earn more foreign currency.
They mentioned need-based measures were taken to bring all the mango farmers under requisite training for the promotion of modern technologies to make the mango harvesting and marketing process safe and hygienic for its boost export, reports BSS.
They were addressing a daylong mango farmers training for exporting mango at the Binodpur mango orchard in Bagha Upazila of the district on Thursday.
SMR Agro-tech Industry Limited organised the training titled "Mango Collection, Segregation, Packaging, Transportation and Orchard Nursing" aimed at exporting mango through following best agricultural practices.
Around 100 farmers, including 35 contract growers, joined the training.
Chairman of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank Roisul Alam Mondal and former director general (DG) of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Nurul Islam addressed the training as the chief and special guests respectively with Chairman of the agro-tech industry Azharul Islam in the chair.
Managing Director of Agro-tech Industry Faisal Kabir, Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiullah Sultan and Union Parishad Chairman Saiful Islam also spoke.
Roisul Alam Mondal mentioned that modern technologies need to be promoted commercially in mango orchards in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts during the pre-harvest season to protect mangoes from pest attacks besides facilitating the farmers to get quality and better yield.
Mango is a leading seasonal cash crop of the country's northwest region and dominates the economy in the two districts famous for the delicious fruit.
He said there are about 30,00,000 mango trees of different ages and varieties on some 32,816 hectares in the region.
If the fruit bagging method was used substantially and the use of harmful chemical insecticides and pesticides could be reduced to a greater extent, the technology would open up a new door of exporting mango of the two districts, to various foreign markets.
In his remarks, Azharul Islam said there are bright prospects of exporting mangoes worth around Tk 200 crore from the region, including its vast Barind tract, during the current season as both acreage and yearly yield of the delicious fruit have been rising gradually for the last couple of years.
Mangoes produced in Bagha and Charghat Upazilas have been exported to different countries, including Europe, the Middle East and Asia, during the last couple of years. The delicious seasonal fruits will also be exported this year.
