Chapainawabganj has so far received GI certificates (geographical indication recognition) for four mangoes. But growers say the recognition is of no use to them. There is no branding, and mangoes from other districts are sold across the country at the same price as Chapainawabganj's GI-certified fruit, depriving local farmers.

Ariful Islam, a mango grower from Shyampur Sharatnagar village in Shibganj upazila, told Jago News: "Four mangoes from our district have got GI certificates, but we get no benefit because our mangoes have no branding. There isn't even a sticker with our name when they are sold, so there is no way to sell our mangoes separately, and we don't get a good price."

"I want the district's GI-certified mangoes to be branded, with a GI sticker on each mango, and supplied across the country," he said. "We will profit, and our district's mangoes will sell at a higher price."

Ismail Khan, general secretary of the Shibganj Mango Producer Co-operative Society, said: "I went to Dhaka a few days ago and saw our mangoes being sold along with those of other districts. That is not acceptable at all, because Chapainawabganj mangoes have a special reputation, but we are not getting a price to match." No tag with the district's name is being used either, he said. "So what is the benefit of GI recognition?"

Ahsan Habib, member secretary of the Chapainawabganj Mango Foundation, told Jago News: "So far the GI recognition is lying locked away in a box and is of no use. We still have not been able to put GI tags on the recognised mangoes, so in the market there is still no difference between this district's mangoes and those from other districts."

Dr Mokhlesur Rahman, chief scientific officer of the Regional Horticulture Research Station in Chapainawabganj, said the station works mainly on research but is trying to increase the district's mango exports.

Palash Sarkar, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said Chapainawabganj has so far received GI recognition for four mangoes, which was an achievement because the district is called the 'father of mangoes'. He hopes the district will receive GI recognition for 10 to 12 more. It cannot be said that GI work has not started, he said, because it is being considered, and soon Chapainawabganj mangoes will be sold with GI tags.

Chapainawabganj deputy commissioner A K M Galib Khan said a joint initiative is being taken by the agriculture ministry, exporters are being shown mango orchards, and work is under way on how to send more mangoes abroad. The agriculture minister has said vapour heat treatment facilities will be set up in the district, which would open the door to mango exports, he said.

Asked about the matter, Zillur Rahman, deputy registrar of the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks under the industries ministry, said: "I cannot speak on this. Talk to the registrar, sir."

But the department's director general, Khondoker Mostafizur Rahman, said: "I do not know why they are unable to use the GI tag. But Chapainawabganj farmers can certainly sell mangoes using the GI tag. If they still have any problem, we have a specialist here; contacting him will solve it."

Chapainawabganj received GI recognition for Khirsapat mango in 2019, and in 2022 both Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj received it for Fazli mango. This year the district received GI recognition for Langra and Ashwina mangoes.

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