Chapainawabganj is the best district for mangoes, and its mangoes have won acclaim on the world market many times. But such activity is usually seen only in the mango season. This time, something different has happened. Before the trees even flower, a company called M/s FarmImagination (Happy Hut) is leasing orchards under agreements with growers, aiming to produce safe, chemical-free, export-quality mangoes. Its main goal is to export mangoes abroad.

People in the mango sector say this will increase export-quality mango production, open the door to exports and boost the district's economy.

The company recently signed an agreement leasing 40 bighas of land in the Adda Bazar area of Gomastapur upazila. Its officials said the area would be expanded in phases. The 40 bighas hold a total of 8,000 mango trees: 6,000 Amrapali and 2,000 BARI-4.

Several local mango growers, including Asadul Islam, Nur-Nabi and Kazi Shahed, said: "Next to our orchards, late-variety mango trees were planted on 40 bighas, but they were not well looked after. Since yesterday a company has been involved here and will tend them from now on. From what they are doing, it seems they are working to export mangoes abroad. Since we cannot export mangoes ourselves, it will be good for us if they do."

Ismail Khan Shamim, general secretary of the Shibganj Mango Producer Co-operative Society, said mangoes in these orchards will now be produced using good agricultural practice, which will increase export-quality production. Seeing this, local growers will also be encouraged, and export-quality mango production will grow day by day.

Md Shahid, executive director of Happy Hut, said: "Last year we bought mangoes from growers here and exported them, but there were some problems. Because fruit bagging was not done properly, there was some fruit fly attack. Still, we exported about 100 tonnes of mangoes. We have agreed with buyers to export more next year. That is why we will work alongside the growers and produce safe mangoes ourselves. We hope to export 300 tonnes this time."

Dr Sharaf Uddin, a senior scientific officer of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), who was present, said: "For several years I have heard that growers cannot supply mangoes to exporters' requirements, because growing mangoes to their standard costs a lot. Many growers do not want to do it, and many cannot. That is why exporters do not get the mangoes they need. But since the exporters themselves will now tend this orchard, it will be possible to grow export-quality mangoes here. This year Bangladeshi mangoes are expected to be exported to 36 countries, and this will grow in future."

Dr Palash Sarkar, deputy director of the Chapainawabganj Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said such agreements between farmers and exporters will increase mango exports and improve farmers' skills in using good agricultural practice. In future, the district's mangoes will play an important role in earning foreign currency.

Last year, 376 tonnes of mangoes were exported from Chapainawabganj district, after 132 tonnes in 2022 and 65 tonnes in 2021, to various countries in Europe and the Middle East. No export target has been set this year, but the agriculture department says exports will increase several times over.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.