Acreage of mango intercropping has gradually been rising almost everywhere in the region, including its vast Barind tract, as the farmers are reaping more profit from this mixed farming method.
"Nak Fazlee mango plants were grown here 10-15 years ago. This mango is tasty, it has less fibre and is less perishable and has demand in the market. So, the cultivators are more inclined to cultivate this variety of mango".
Muhammad Nurzzaman, a farmer of Jamgram village under Patnitala Upazila, revealed this while talking to BSS here Saturday.
He said the cultivators earn more income from mango cultivation than other crops. For this, the cultivators are more interested in mango cultivation.
Mango intercropping with various cereal crops especially paddy has started contributing a lot towards boosting mango yield in the region.
Nurzzaman said intercropping has been gaining momentum in the region as the growers in general are getting interested in farming.
In the wake of the adverse impact of climate change, the farmers have been facing trouble depending on only paddy cultivation for the last couple of years.
Jamal Hossain, a resident of Charghat Upazila, said many farmers are seen showing interest in intercropping mango with various cereal crops, especially paddy in the region because the method gives additional income to the farmers.
Intercropping not only increases total crop production but also helps improve soil health and fertility with no negative effect on mango yield and quality.
It also creates additional job opportunities needed for intensive crop production contributing a lot towards intensifying the rural economy.
Hossain opined that the farmers face trouble in terms of only paddy cultivation in the wake of the adverse impact of climate change for the last couple of years.
To get more income and to recoup the losses, they are cultivating paddy, onion, garlic, brinjal, mustard, turmeric and papaya with mango as intercropping.
By dint of excellent output, the framers created new mango orchards with the new method.
"I have an eight-bigha mango orchard of intercropping with various seasonal crops. I am getting additional income from farming," said Jamal Hossain.
Mangoes grow almost everywhere in the district but Paba, Godagari, Charghat and Bagha have a long-lasting tradition of producing quality fruits.
As the growers reap large sums of money from mango farming, it encourages many others towards farming mangoes.
Many varieties of mangoes such as Guti, Langra, Fazlee, Khirsapat, Mohanbog, Ashwini, Gopalbogh, Haribhanhga, Amrapali, Bari 4, Nakfazlee, Gouromoti, are now cultivated in the region.
Dr Shafiqul Islam, Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Station, told BSS that farmers have brought around 60,000 hectares of land under the intercropping method in the region and the practice is rising continuously.
The mango farming sector has been contributing a lot to the region's economy as the processed foods from the seasonal fruit are in enormous demand, apart from their high market values.
He said various processed food items particularly juice, soft drinks, pickles, jams and jellies are being manufactured through the processing of mangoes.
He said every year new mango orchards especially of Amrapali, BARI mango-3 and BARI mango-4 varieties are rapidly increasing in the region.
Mango is a perishable item. So, it needs immediate consumption or processing for its value addition.
Besides, various natural calamities like storms, hailstorms, gusty winds, tornadoes and droughts cause a significant portion of produced mangoes to fall out of trees.
However, the modern processing plant can make the fallen mangoes valued food items and protect them from getting damaged.
