Naogaon mangoes are famous across the country for their taste and quality, and besides markets they are sold online, with courier services one of the main ways to deliver them to buyers' doors. But the complete shutdown over the quota movement hit Naogaon's mangoes: 725 maunds rotted with couriers because they could not reach their destinations on time. Their estimated market value is Tk 14-15 lakh.

Managers of courier and parcel services in Sapahar, Naogaon, said most of the mangoes booked on 17 and 18 July spoiled on the road, at least 1,450 crates (20 kg each).

On Wednesday, 17 July, Amrapali sold for Tk 3,000 to Tk 4,500 a maund, BARI-4 for Tk 3,000 to Tk 3,700, Fazli for Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,800 and Banana Mango for Tk 5,500 to Tk 6,000. At the lowest price of Tk 2,000 a maund, the loss on 1,450 crates (725 maunds) comes to Tk 14-15 lakh.

Hasan Chowdhury, manager of Steadfast Courier Limited's Sapahar hub, told Jago News: "About 800 packets (crates) of mangoes were booked at our hub on 17 July. Three vehicles set off for different parts of the country, but because of the complete shutdown they could not reach their destinations. All 800 packets rotted on the road. They weighed more than 10,000 kg, and even at the lowest price about Tk 9 lakh worth of mangoes were lost."

Muminul Islam, agent at the Sapahar branch of AJR Parcel and Courier Service, said: "Given the situation in the country, our last booking was on Wednesday, 17 July. That day 400-500 packets of mangoes were booked. Of these, 100 packets reached their destinations. The remaining 300 packets spoiled, weighing about 4,000 kg, with a minimum market value of Tk 4 lakh." He added: "We cannot take responsibility when goods are spoiled because of state-related matters. If they were spoiled through any negligence of ours, we would certainly have taken responsibility."

It was the same at Karatoa Courier and Parcel Service. Branch in-charge Ashraful Alam Bokul said: "Our last booking was 130 packets of mangoes, but because of the shutdown not all could be delivered. It takes time to reach addresses at upazila level, and vehicles could not get there during the shutdown. Some mangoes reached Dhaka on time, but customers could not come within the set time, so many spoiled at the office. In all, about 500-600 kg of mangoes were lost."

It is reported that 10-12 crates of mangoes spoiled at Ahmad Shah Parcel and Courier Service and Saudagar Courier Service.

Asked about compensating customers, Steadfast's Hasan Chowdhury said: "We never told anyone the company would take responsibility if perishable goods spoiled. When a customer ID is opened with us, the terms state that the company will not be liable for perishables. If the government or the company provides any help, we are ready to pass it on to customers. Since this happened, we are not taking any more mango bookings."

Karatoa's Ashraful Alam Bokul said customers would be compensated in coordination between the Rajshahi and Rangpur head offices and their branch.

Narayan Chandra Sarkar, Sapahar branch in-charge of Sundarban Courier and Parcel Service, said: "On 19 July, 200 packets of mangoes were booked with us. Then instructions came from the office and we returned the mangoes to the customers. So no mangoes spoiled with us."

Shamsul Islam, in-charge of USB courier service, said 275 crates of mangoes were booked on Wednesday, 17 July, and claimed there had been no problem with them. But Nasrulla Naim, an entrepreneur who sent mangoes through this service, said he had sent 20 kg of mangoes to Chattogram by USB courier and the customer has still not received them.

Most of the mangoes sent by courier and parcel services are sent by young entrepreneurs, who receive online orders from all over the country. They too have suffered losses from the shutdown.

Young entrepreneur Omar Faruk told Jago News: "On 17 July I booked 400 kg of mangoes (20 crates) with AJR courier, but all of them spoiled on the road. Once things are normal I will have to send mangoes to the customers again."

Another entrepreneur, Selim Hossain, said: "I booked 700 kg of mangoes (35 crates) with Steadfast Courier for different parts of the country, but all of them spoiled in the shutdown. Their minimum market value is Tk 80,000."

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