Haribhanga, a highly delicious and fleshy local variety of mango in Rangpur, has become famous globally. The mango has been recognised as a Geographical Indication (GI) product this year due to its qualities.
The first-ever export consignment of 200 kg mango has been sent to Germany this season. The trade consignment will increase further based on the demand of the people of the country. The mango was supplied from an orchard of Padagoanj village owned by a farmer, Khalilur Rahman according to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Mithapukur Upazila office.
The upazila agriculture office has taken up a project to develop exportable produce in some selected orchards in the upazila. The selected growers have been given advanced scientific training on mango production. Farmers were provided with free medicine and fertiliser. In addition, sub-assistant upazila agriculture officers keep the gardens under vigilance.
Farmer Khalilur Rahman said he is very excited and filled with unbounded joy and happiness as his orchard's mango has been exported abroad.
Meanwhile, an exhibition and display of the mango variety was held on June 20 at Padaganj High School & College field of the upazila. Agriculture Minister Md Abdus Shahid inaugurated the fair as chief guest.
The minister said, Bangladesh has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the last decade and offers positive investment opportunities for private investors within the food system. Huge investments have been created to support the food systems transformation by the government and development partners.
The country begins ‘Sustainable Nutrition Sensitive and Resilient Food Systems’ to ensure climate-smart agriculture systems and food security, the minister added.
Mithapukur Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohammad Saidul Abedin said Green Global Agro Ltd, a private business organisation and one of the showcase participants of the fair received an order of 200 kg of the GI-tagged mango variety from Germany. The first-ever international consignment of the year was delivered successfully. The officials of the agro agency are expecting more orders from the country this year.
He also hinted that growers and traders of the district have already received advance orders of mango worth Tk 30 crore from Malaysia, Nepal and Middle East countries. They are preparing for the export consignment.
Abdus Salam, a farmer who was the first to produce Haribhanga mango in Mithapukur’s Podagang village, said they are very happy as the mango variety has received international acclaim.
During the last five years, the mango has been sent to different states or countries by the honourable prime minister as a token of gift. The countries include- India, Pakistan and Brunei. The international acclaim earned for the variety is due to the sincere effort and willingness of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The mango is largely being cultivated across several upazilas in Rangpur. Farmers in Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh of the region have been cultivating the mango due to favourable weather and soil conditions. Many urban people are also seen planting trees on the rooftops of their houses.
A huge quantity of mango is supplied to different parts of the country during the season from the districts.
According to Rangpur DAE, Haribhanga has been cultivated on 1,935 hectares of land in the district this year which is 30 hectares more than last year. But the production gets a setback due to drought-like situation, extreme heatwaves and frequent gusty winds along with little rainfall due to the impact of cyclone Remal.
Deputy Director DAE Rangpur, Mohammad Riaz Uddin said, that Haribhanga mango has been recognised as a GI product. Farmers and traders of the district expressed their happiness and gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the international acclaim of the mango variety.
Considering the significance of the produce, the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute has researched the preservation of the mango.
Growers and traders are expecting to harvest around 30,000 tonnes of mango this season despite the setback in production.
Farmers remained busy harvesting the produce. The harvesting would continue till July, 15. Huge imports of mango are found in local hat-bazars. Per maund of mango is being sold at Tk 2,400-3,000 according to its size in the local markets.
Farming has been increasing on a commercial basis in the region for its profit margin which requires less investment, pesticide and labour. There are around 4,000 commercial mango orchards in the districts. About 30 thousand people of the upazila s in the districts have been directly engaged in farming. The mango cultivation has created huge job generation which has strengthened the rural economy of the districts.
Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md Mobasswer Hasan said the local mango variety has huge demand in local and international markets. Special arrangements have been made for the farmers and wholesalers to facilitate the mango trading from the orchards and local markets. Booths of different banks are kept operational for money transactions. Law enforcement surveillance has been increased in the l markets.
