Haribhanga mango growers in Rangpur fear that they will have to incur heavy losses as the marketing of their produce has become uncertain due to transport shortage.
Sources said the Haribhanga mango cultivators of the district made vigorous efforts this season with the hope to earn a handsome profit from the sale of the popular fruit but its Plummeting price has disheartened them.
The Eid-ul-Azha holiday and increase in transport fare has disrupted the mango business and plummeted the price in the local markets causing concern among the traders and farmers, said Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources.
Market insiders and agriculture analysts also said the demand for mango fell during the Eid festivity and this will not create any major impact as it is a very short-lived situation.
"The harvesting process has been disrupted due to the Eid festivity and we cannot even send mango through courier services as they are not taking orders and bookings for transportation," said Mosatafizur Rahman, who cultivated the mango on more than 10 acres of land in his three orchards at Moyenpur village under Mithapukur upazila of the district.
The demand for mango fell during the last seven days due to irregular supply and transportation. Moreover, people have little time to enjoy the fruit for business on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
Trucks and pick-up vans were not available for mango transportation and courier services and home deliveries remained closed during the vacation.
"Our services remained suspended for three days," said Milon Miah, an official, at the Sundarban Courier Service, Rangpur office.
He also added that the courier service has also been disrupted before the vacation for the holidaymakers’ homecoming rush and jams on the roads and highways. It will take a couple of days more to return to their normal service even after the vacation.
Shahadat Hossain, manager of SA Paribahan Courier Service Rangpur made a similar observation.
Faruk Miah, a farmer cum trader of Rangpur , said he collected mango from the orchards at Tk 40 per kilogramme and used to sell for about Tk 50 (kg) with an additional charge of Tk 25 courier service delivery before the Eid vacation. His business halted for the last five days due to the Eid rush and the suspension of courier service. I have to sell the mango in the local markets of the city at the buying prices that have caused me loss.
He also added that transport fare has increased. A mango-laden truck usually charges Tk 19000-20000/ for transportation to the capital while the fare has increased up to Tk 22000-25000/ before the Eid vacation
Ashraful Haque, a mango seller at the Bus Terminal market of the city said the mango price has dropped in the local markets. He used to sell produce at Tk 40-45 before the Eid vacation. He is selling now for just Tk 30-35.
Haribhanga mangoes are available in local markets from the third week of June every year. But this year, the mango arrived in the markets 10 days ahead of schedule on June 10 due to severe heat waves in the region.
Mizanur Rahaman, a mango grower in the Akhirhat area of Rangpur, said the production of mango is overall good this year. "I still have to harvest the fruit in my orchard though I had to start harvesting earlier because of adverse weather this year. The mango price falls short in the market due to disruption in transportation. Mango is being sold in the orchard for just Tk 25-40 depending on its size. I have to count the loss if I sell the fruit at the present market. Moreover, it becomes tough to preserve the mango in the plants as the huge number of mango falls every day in the orchard’’
President, Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (RCCI), Mostafa Sohorab Chowdhury Titu said, that mango trading has been slightly hampered in the district due to supply chain trouble during the Eid vacation.
Horticulture specialist, DAE Rangpur region, Khondoker Mesbahul Islam said the farmers will fail to market the seasonal fruits for around a week due to the Eid rush and vacation.
According to the DAE Rangpur, some 3,535 hectares of land in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts of Rangpur region have been brought under mango farming this year fixing the production target of 20- 22 tonnes per hectare.
