Chapainawabganj's mangoes have won fame at home and abroad many times. This time the district's mangoes are being exported to Sweden.

On the afternoon of Saturday, 22 June, 600 kg of Haribhanga mangoes were sent for export to Sweden from an orchard in Kendrabona village of Kasba union in Nachole upazila, the season's first such shipment. Mango grower Rafiqul Islam is exporting the fruit.

The mangoes were grown entirely safe and free of harmful chemicals under the export-quality mango production project supervised by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE). Mangoes produced through good agricultural practices to meet the demands of foreign buyers have begun to be exported to European markets this season. The 600 kg of Haribhanga from Rafiqul's orchard is the district's first mango consignment abroad this season.

Rafiqul Islam exported about 30 tonnes of mangoes to four countries last year. This year he has prepared 250 tonnes of Haribhanga, Amrapali, BARI-4, Banana Mango and Gourmati mangoes for export to about eight countries, including in Europe and the Middle East.

"I have been producing mangoes in a completely safe and hygienic way for the past few years. Last year I exported mangoes to Spain, Switzerland and Sweden. This season exports have begun with 600 kg of Haribhanga sent to Sweden," Rafiqul Islam said.

Md Rakibul Islam, sub-assistant agriculture officer of the Nachole upazila DAE, said the agriculture department is working with 25 mango growers in Nachole this season and giving them every kind of support and advice on exports. "We hope that thanks to the export-quality mango production project, mango exports will increase further. Last year 376 tonnes of mangoes were exported from this district," he said.

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