By Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, May 19, 2022 (BSS) - The remarkably admired, fibreless and tasty local variety 'Haribhanga' mango is expected to appear in markets from the third week of June in Rangpur and its adjoining areas.
 
Harvest of 'Haribhanga' mango will continue till July next.
 
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and farmers are expecting a better production of the mango this time despite some damages caused by hailstorms and stormy weather recently.
 
Despite massive blooming and huge formation of fruits and less rainfalls in the initial stages, subsequent stormy weather and hailstorms damaged buds and growing 'Haribhanga' mangoes.
 
"Farmers have cultivated 'Haribhanga' mango on 2,800 hectares of land in the area including 1,887 hectares in Rangpur alone," said DAE Deputy Director for Rangpur Agriculturist Md. Obaidur Rahman Mandal.
 
Farmers and traders are expecting to make trade of 'Haribhanga' mango worth between Taka 150 crore and Taka 175 crore in Rangpur and at some places of adjoining districts this time.
 
"Cultivation of 'Haribhanga' mango is expanding fast in all eight upazilas of Rangpur and Parbatipur, Nababganj, Fulbari, Birampur and Chirirbandar upazilas of Dinajpur and other adjoining areas," Mandal added.
 
Farers are also cultivating the popular variety of mango in dozens of villages in Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Gaibandha, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts.
 
Talking to BSS, mango growers said that some of them wrongly applied excess hormones at the roots of mango trees on the advice of some seasonal fruit traders with the hope of getting additional yields of big-sized fruits this time.
 
But, the huge number of formed tender mangoes in the beginning of the fruit formation period has now halved.
 
Besides, mango trees had a lot of buds this season. But, with frequent rains, most of the buds were damaged in the first phase.
 
Due to the stormy weather coupled with hailstorms, a part of the growing mangoes also fell down or damaged in the fruit formation stage.
 
"As a result, the yield of 'Haribhanga' mango might not be up to the expectation of farmers this time," said farmer Mostafizur Rahman of Podaganj village in Mithapukur upazila.
 
However, those who have taken proper care, sprayed vitamins and pesticides on time following the recommended doses by the DAE officials have got huge numbers of mangoes in their trees.
 
Among the pioneers of launching 'Haribhanga' mango cultivation, Lutfar Rahman and Abdus Salam Sarkar of Podaganj village in Mithapukur upazila said they have been cultivating the mango for more than three decades.
 
"I have been cultivating 'Haribhanga' mango on a commercial basis since 1990," said Abdus Salam, adding that he has 25 mango orchards on 14 acres of land now.
 
"Observing my huge success, many farmers have now planted thousands of 'Haribhanga' mango trees in Mithapukur and other upazilas of Rangpur alone," he said.
 
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said commercial basis cultivation of 'Haribhanga' mango in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur started some 30 years ago.
 
Due to its popularity, cultivation of 'Haribhanga' mango has been expanded on commercial basis in every upazila of Rangpur and many upazilas of Nilphamari, Dinajpur and other adjoining districts.
 
"Following huge popularity, cultivation of 'Haribhanga' mango has been expanded across Rangpur region. The characteristics of the mango are fibreless, fleshy, sweet and delicious with a smaller mango seed inside. The skin is thin," he said.
 
Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Emdad Hossain Sheikh said many farmers have changed fortunes through farming 'Haribhanga' mango over the years.