Dinajpur is famous for litchis and grows the country's best. But this year the land of litchis has a bumper mango crop too, with green mangoes hanging from every tree. Those involved hope mangoes worth about Tk 450 crore will be sold in the district.

In Sadar, Biral, Kaharol, Birganj, Khansama and other parts of Dinajpur, mangoes hang from the trees. Far more fruit has set than last year, and the trees seem to bow under the weight. After intense heat, rain is now freshening the fruit.

Ansar Ali, a prominent businessman of Rajarampur village in Biral upazila, has more than 500 Amrapali trees in his orchard, nearly all bowed with fruit. He is delighted with the unexpected yield. "The crop is bigger than last time. I have no mango but Amrapali. If prices are good I can sell Tk 3-4 lakh worth," he told Jagonews.

Hashim Uddin, a grower in the Binodnagar area of Nawabganj upazila, said: "I grew mangoes on 16 bighas and have twice as many as last time. But because the rain came late, the fruit is a bit small. I hope to sell Tk 10-12 lakh worth in all." His orchard has Gopalbhog, Fazli, Surjapuri, Hajipuri and Langra mangoes.

Zobaydur Karim of Naogaon village in 8 No Bhognagar union, Birganj upazila, grew BARI-4, Amrapali, Haribhanga, Himsagar, Misribhog, Gopalbhog, Guti and Surjapuri on four acres. He has a bumper crop and is pleased, but is worried about prices. "Dinajpur is flooded with mangoes from other districts. Dinajpur's mangoes will take another 10-12 days to reach the market, and prices may fall by then," he told Jagonews.

Minar Hossain Hira of the Mangalpur Bazar area of Biral grew Fazli, Hajipuri, Langra, Gopalbhog and Amrapali on one acre. His new orchard has more than a hundred trees and has fruited well, and he hopes to sell Tk 1 lakh worth.

Moin, owner of Bismillah Fal Bhandar, a fruit business at Dinajpur's Bahadur Bazar, told Jagonews: "Dinajpur has twice as many mangoes this year. There will be no shortage, orchard owners will profit, and we are preparing to send mangoes to different parts of the country."

Trader Liton Hossain said: "Wholesale buyers have started arriving and are touring the orchards. The market looks good. No mango will be available below Tk 50 a kg."

Dinajpur has Amrapali, Himsagar, Misribhog, BARI-4, Gopalbhog, Guti, Haribhanga and other varieties, and the weather has raised hopes of a bumper crop this year.

Agriculturist Mostafizur Rahman, additional director (horticulture) of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), told Jagonews that some mangoes dropped early on because of fierce sun, but given the rate of fruiting he does not expect much loss.

He said Dinajpur has 1,342 mango orchards on 5,726 hectares this year, besides trees in homesteads and on vacant land. If all goes well the district will produce 68,712 tonnes, and he hopes mangoes worth Tk 448 crore will be traded.

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