Mangoes from the orchard of Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah have become known as a signature variety of Magura. The fruit is huge, with each mango weighing about 4 kg. Trees of this tasty, improved variety, called Brunei King, have already found a place in orchards not only in Magura but across the country.

In 2014 Atiar Rahman, a nursery owner in Shatakhali village of Shalikha upazila in Magura, collected grafts of this mango from Brunei. After he planted them in his nursery, the trees bore fruit within two years. Because the fruit is several times bigger and heavier than other varieties grown in the country, its fame spread quickly.

Atiar Rahman said: "My nephew worked in the Brunei sultan's mango orchard. I collected the grafts through him. Now, through me, Brunei King trees have reached not only Magura but various districts of Bangladesh and even India. It feels good to know that. Because of the variety's reputation, other nursery owners are also producing its saplings, so its cultivation grows every year."

Local mango growers said: "Atiar bhai was the first to grow this mango in Magura. Now it has spread across the country. Thanks to him, Shatakhali village has become known. This mango is tasty and fibreless. Seeing it, people from nearby areas have started planting its saplings. Former agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury, seeing the size of the mango, named it 'Balisha Aam' (pillow mango)."

Officials at the Magura Horticulture Centre, run by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), have been working to expand cultivation of this improved variety since 2016. They collected saplings from Atiar Rahman and raised mother trees, from which saplings are produced every year and spread to districts across the country.

Imdadul Hasan, horticulturist at the Magura Horticulture Centre, said: "There are at least 30 mango varieties in Magura, and Brunei King is one of the main ones. Although it is foreign, its large size has made it known as Magura's signature variety. Its saplings are being produced in large numbers and collected from various districts. If Brunei King is grown widely across the country, it will create a big market, and local growers and traders will be able to earn more."

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