The main mango season is still some way off, but three varieties, Gobindobhog, Himsagar and Katimon, are already on sale in Dhaka's markets. The fruit is coming from Satkhira, Gazipur and other districts and selling at relatively high prices.

In various markets in Mirpur, Gobindobhog was selling at Tk 100 to Tk 150 a kg depending on size, Katimon at Tk 120 and Himsagar at Tk 180. Green mangoes of the Nepali and Ashwina varieties were selling at Tk 60 to Tk 80 a kg.

Swapan Ahmed, a fruit seller at Muslim Bazar, said ripe mangoes had been available since the start of the month, with most shopkeepers stocking Gobindobhog. Traders began collecting mangoes from Satkhira on 5 May. Mangoes from Rajshahi, Rangpur, Chapainawabganj, Chuadanga, Jashore, Meherpur, Kushtia and Natore had not yet been picked.

Maksud, a shopper at the Mirpur-11 kitchen market, said: "Lots of mangoes have come to the market, but the season has not started yet, so I cannot tell whether they will be sweet."

Mango seller Sirajul said Gobindobhog was less sweet than other mangoes and did not stay on the market for long.

Another seller, who was selling Himsagar, said green Himsagar sold for Tk 80 to Tk 100 a kg and ripe ones for Tk 180 a kg, but prices would fall further once the mangoes fully arrived.

Under the harvest schedule, Himsagar picking was set for 15 May, Langra for 27 May and Amrapali from 5 June. Ashwina and Gourmoti will be the last to reach the market, from July.

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