Khirsapat mango from Chapainawabganj is popular across the country and has won acclaim in world markets many times. Until now, though, it was available only in season. Thanks to some unusual growers, the GI-certified mango can now be found even after the season has ended. The agriculture department says that if Khirsapat (Himsagar) can be made to fruit at this time of year, it will fetch three times the seasonal price, boosting the district's economy and benefiting growers.

According to the agriculture department, the mango production target for Chapainawabganj this year is 4 lakh 50 thousand tonnes, up from 4 lakh 25 thousand tonnes last year. The mango season is now nearly over.

Growers say Khirsapat (Himsagar) is a seasonal mango that mainly fruits in May, and its reputation has spread worldwide. As a trial, however, a few growers have got the trees to bear fruit in August. They call this good news: if it can be done commercially, growers will profit, because the mangoes sell for three times the seasonal price.

A recent visit to the orchard of grower Sajib Ali in the Bhangabridge area of Shibganj upazila found Khirsapat mangoes, certified as a geographical indication product, hanging here and there among Katimon mangoes, with workers busy tending the trees. Buyers were offering Tk 13,000-15,000 a maund in the orchard itself.

"Three years ago I leased a four-bigha Khirsapat orchard and started farming it. Later, because I was not getting a good price for Khirsapat, the variety was changed to Katimon. Now the trees are bearing Katimon. Meanwhile I noticed that some trees still had branches of the Khirsapat variety, and mangoes have now come on those branches," Sajib Ali told Jagonews.

"With the agriculture department's advice, we have got mangoes even at the end of the season. At first I could not believe it. These mangoes are worth a lot; they are selling at Tk 12,000-15,000 a maund. If Khirsapat can be made to fruit at this time, it can be sold for about three to four times the seasonal price. I am trying it as a trial and hope to be able to produce it out of season," he said.

A grower named Anarul said: "This orchard is next to ours. I came to see because Khirsapat is fruiting along with the Katimon. I have seasonal mango trees, but they do not bear fruit, so I want to change the variety."

Ismail Khan Shamim, general secretary of the Shibganj Mango Producer Co-operative Society, said: "Growers did not know before that Khirsapat could be produced at this time. Katimon branches were grafted onto Khirsapat trees. Shoots from the original branches have come out and are bearing mangoes, while the grafted branches carry Katimon. So growers are now trying, on a trial basis, to get Khirsapat to fruit out of season. Using this method, the mango sector can be taken further, but the agriculture department has to come forward."

Palash Sarkar, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said: "For a few years now Ashwina mangoes have been produced out of season, but Khirsapat has not yet become commercial, although growers are trying hard. Basically, by breaking off the mango blossom in season and then, some time later, applying a chemical called paclobutrazol, there is a chance of getting off-season blossom. Growers are using this method."

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