Meherpur's Himsagar mango is famous around the world. Harvesting of the variety began on 25 May, but orchard owners are disappointed at not getting the prices they hoped for. The agriculture department says the district will produce about 45,000 tonnes of mangoes this year, worth about Tk 104 crore.

Growers say that because of differences in weather, mangoes normally reach market first from Satkhira and then, in turn, from Meherpur, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon. This year was different: mangoes from all the districts flooded the market at the same time, so growers are not getting the prices they want. Rising prices of farm inputs add to the pressure, and Meherpur's growers fear losses.

Foyzul Karim, an orchard owner in Amjhupi village of Meherpur Sadar upazila, said: "I have a Himsagar orchard on five bighas. Demand for Meherpur's Himsagar is higher than for other mangoes. With few storms this year the yield has been good, and the mangoes are sold in different districts. But because mangoes from several districts are being marketed at the same time, we are disappointed with the price."

Intaj Ali, another grower in the same village, said the yield was good and the mangoes were ready for market, but market prices were poor. "If we don't get a fair price, growers like us will count losses," he said. He urged the agriculture department to build a world market for Meherpur's mangoes to encourage growers.

Another grower, Sakhawat Hossain, said traders from Dhaka, Chattogram, Barishal, Sylhet and other districts usually crowd into Meherpur at the start of the season. This year fewer came because every district's mangoes went on sale at once, leaving growers facing losses. He called for government-led mango exports to make up the losses.

Moklechur Rahman, a trader who had come from Madaripur to buy, said many people know Meherpur's mangoes to be free of poison and chemicals. When buyers hear of Meherpur mangoes, they sell before mangoes from other districts. He sends mangoes to Dhaka and other districts.

Shankar Kumar Majumder, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Meherpur, said yields were much better this year than in other years. The target is about 40,000 to 45,000 tonnes from 2,340 hectares of orchards, with a market value of about Tk 104 crore.

He said the district's Himsagar is especially well known, and there is a chance it will again be exported to several European Union countries this year. Several exporters, including International Virginia Tech, Global Trade Link, Green Global, BH Trader and Nafiza Enterprise, have shown interest in buying, and a number of orchards are already under their close watch. Several companies also exported Himsagar mangoes last year.

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