The traditional Kansat mango market in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj, known as the country's mango capital, has begun to come alive. Early in the season, Gopalbhog, Khirshapati (Himsagar), Lakshmanbhog, Guti, Ranipasanda and other early varieties have started arriving from orchards across the district, bringing bustle to one of the country's biggest mango markets.

Trade runs briskly from dawn until late at night every day. But although supply is rising, growers are frustrated that they are not getting the prices they hoped for.

A visit to Kansat mango market on Tuesday afternoon (2 June) showed orchard owners and growers from the district's upazilas arriving from dawn with mangoes on pickups, vans and small trucks. Wholesalers from Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Rangpur and other parts of the country were crowding the market, and after bargaining, truckloads of mangoes were being sent across the country.

Mango grower Abdur Razzak told Jagonews24: "The yield has been relatively good this season because the weather was favourable. With production costs up, I had hoped for a good price. But there is no price in the market."

Local grower Rafiqul Islam told Jagonews24: "Orchard care, pesticides, fertiliser, irrigation and labour wages have all gone up a lot compared with before. Picking, transporting and marketing the mangoes also cost extra. Costs have risen overall, but prices have not kept pace, so I am worried about making a profit."

Farmers complain that a kind of wholesalers' syndicate holds sway in the market at the start of the season, often forcing growers to sell cheaply. When the market is oversupplied, prices fall further, leaving them uncertain of a fair return for months of work.

Wholesalers and traders, for their part, say demand for mangoes has not yet fully built up across the country, and they also have to consider transport costs and market conditions. They hope prices may rise somewhat as demand grows in the next few days.

Yasin Ali, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Chapainawabganj, told Jagonews24: "Mangoes are now selling at about Tk 50 a kg. Farmers will not lose money at this price, but it would have been better if the price were a little higher."

This season mangoes have been grown on 37,000 hectares in Chapainawabganj district, and the agriculture department has set a production target of 458,000 tonnes.

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