Mango orchards in Rajshahi are filling with blossoms, and growers are hoping the early blossoms will bring a good harvest. Amid the joy, there are also fears that thick fog could damage the blossoms, though the agriculture department says the risk is low.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), because the fog is followed by sunshine, the blossoms will become fresher rather than be damaged. Growers have been advised to use some fungicides.

According to the Rajshahi district DAE, the target for mango cultivation this year in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Natore districts is 93,200 hectares, with a production target of about 12.5 lakh tonnes. Of this, Rajshahi district has 17,900 hectares of mango orchards. Last year the region produced a total of 1,207,263 tonnes of mangoes.

Early blossoms have appeared in Rajshahi's Charghat and Bagha upazilas, in many orchards in Nimpara, Bhayalakshmipur, Charghat Sadar, Sarda and Shalua unions of Charghat and Monigram, Bausa and Gorgoria unions of Bagha.

Bahadur Rahman, a mango grower from Kaluhati village in Nimpara union of Charghat upazila, said there were no blossoms for the past two years, but this time they came early. If the fog does not damage them, there will be a huge harvest.

Mango grower and trader Shamsul Haque said some trees have started to blossom, and in another 10 days the whole orchard will be in bloom. Weeds are being cleared and pesticide sprayed to control insects, which will both drive off pests and bring healthy blossoms.

Dr Shafiqul Islam, chief scientific officer of the Rajshahi Fruit Research Station, said the blossoms have come quite early this time. Since there were fewer blossoms last year, he hopes there will be more this year.

Umme Salma, deputy director of the Rajshahi DAE, said blossoming will continue until February. The trees that have blossomed are early varieties. Growers are being advised on orchard care and spraying, and they are working in hope of a bigger harvest.

She said it looks as though there will be more blossoms than last year and the fog will not do much harm, so the chances of meeting the target this year are much higher.

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