Fruit bagging has spread quickly in Chapainawabganj in recent years as a way to protect mangoes from disease and insect attack and to reach export quality. This season, however, the same fruit bags have turned from a blessing into a curse for many growers.

Growers allege that an artificial shortage was created this season to double the price of the bags used on mangoes. At the same time, low-quality bags were supplied to the market, and large quantities of mangoes have been spoiled. Production costs for growers have jumped as a result.

According to the agriculture department and related sources, about 30 crore mangoes were bagged in Chapainawabganj this season, and growers spent an estimated Tk 180 crore just to buy the bags. Mangoes grown on about 37,000 hectares in the district have a potential market value of around Tk 5,000 crore, but the extra cost of bags and poor-quality materials have left many growers facing losses.

In other years a fruit bag sold for Tk 3.50. This season demand for bagging rose, a sudden shortage appeared on the market, and prices rose several times over. Growers were forced to buy bags of various companies at Tk 6.50 to Tk 7 each.

On one side the costs of bags, labour, fertiliser and pesticide have risen; on the other, mango prices in the market have not met expectations, and many growers fear losses. They bagged their fruit against disease and pests in the hope of better prices, but the extra spending has left them worried.

By growers' reckoning, a maund of Fazli mangoes now sells for Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,400, which works out at about Tk 26 a kg. A kilo of Fazli usually takes two mangoes, and each mango uses one bag.

That means about Tk 13 of every kilo goes on bags alone, more than half the market price. Labour, fertiliser, pesticide, care, transport and other costs come on top.

Growers say that even when 50 mangoes are bagged, not all of them stay good: at least 10 are lost for various reasons. The loss from spoiled fruit and the extra care push real production costs higher still, and many growers are not getting the profit they expected despite bagging.

Anarul Islam, a grower in Shibganj upazila, bagged about 50 maunds of Fazli mangoes this season, paying about Tk 6.50 per bag. His costs of care and production rose, but the fruit now sells for only Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,400 a maund, which does not cover production costs. This time, he said, about 40 per cent of the bagged mangoes were spoiled.

Atiqur Rahman Sujon, a grower in Sonamasjid Shahbajpur union, said production costs are rising several times over, from caring for the trees at the start of the season to buying fruit bags. With fertiliser, pesticide and labour costs up and fruit bags costing more, growers are worried about making the profit they hoped for. The bags are used most on the Fazli and Ashwina varieties.

Abdur Rahim, a grower in Hazarbighi village of Shyampur union, said he bought and used about 50,000 fruit bags this season. "All my mangoes were bagged this year. But the fruit has not turned out well. When you open the bag, rotten mangoes come out. They have rotted so badly that even cattle won't eat them."

Ahsan Habib, member secretary of the Shibganj Upazila Mango Foundation, said there was a severe shortage of fruit bags this season. With supply short of demand, many growers were forced to use low-quality bags, which made it hard to maintain the quality of the fruit.

In many cases the bags tore and water got in, he said. Insect attacks, spotting on the fruit and various other problems appeared, so growers did not get the benefit they paid extra for. The crisis has added to growers' difficulties in producing and marketing mangoes this season, and he said the problem would grow when Ashwina mangoes reach the market.

Md Mominul Haque, Chapainawabganj district marketing officer, said there had been a shortage of fruit bags this season and many growers had suffered. Next year the Department of Agricultural Marketing will take steps to distribute fruit bags to growers. A business school of growers has been set up in every union of the district for this purpose, and growers' problems will be heard through these platforms and the necessary action taken.

Md Abdul Halim, additional deputy director (crops) of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Chapainawabganj, said there is no alternative to fruit bags for protecting the appearance and quality of mangoes and keeping insects off. Using good-quality bags at the right time greatly reduces the risk of spotting, insect attack and disease, and keeps the fruit's colour, shape and market value good.

But if the bags are of poor quality, he said, the expected benefit will not come. Poor bags can tear, let water in or block air flow, damaging the fruit. Ensuring quality bags for growers is therefore essential, and attention must also be paid to stopping low-quality bags from reaching the market.

Dr Md Sharaf Uddin, acting chief scientific officer of the Chapainawabganj Regional Horticulture Research Station, told Jagonews24 that Fazli mangoes are damaged most by the fruit fly. "Once this fly attacks an orchard, it finishes off almost all the mangoes there. That is why we advise using fruit bags. Mangoes should not rot inside a fruit bag. If they do, you have to understand that the carbon in that bag was not good, meaning the bag was of low quality."

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