The Rajshahi region is burning in intense drought, and daytime temperatures in the mango city keep rising. The sap in the stalks is drying and young mango fruits are dropping. Irrigation and various other methods have failed to stop the drop, leaving growers worried and fearing a collapse in mango production.

Growers say about 30 per cent of the fruitlets have already dropped in many orchards. Growers and traders say mango is grown extensively in Rajshahi's nine upazilas. This year the orchards blossomed far less than needed, and then the intense heat of the past few days has dried the stalks and made the fruitlets fall. Irrigation and other methods have not stopped it.

According to the Rajshahi office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), there are mango orchards on 19,602 hectares in the nine upazilas, and the production target this year is 2,60,164 tonnes in all. Last time, growers earned Tk 1,528 crore 2 lakh 99 thousand 770 from 19,578 hectares in the district.

Rahidul Islam, officer in charge of the Rajshahi weather office, said the district recorded a maximum of 40.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday (17 April), after 39.5 degrees on Tuesday. A mild to moderate heatwave has been running in Rajshahi for the past four days. There is no chance of rain in the next three days; instead, temperatures will rise further.

Shariful Islam Kadu, a mango grower on the Khorkhori bypass in the city, said the intense drought is drying the sap in the stalks, which turn yellow before the fruit drops. There was good blossom early in the season, but it was first damaged by dense fog and light rain. With the drought that has followed, it is hard to keep the mangoes on the trees, he said.

Entaj Ali of Kashiadanga said rain is badly needed for mangoes at this time. Without rain the mangoes will be quite small this year and production will fall. Prices will be high from the start of the season because there are no mangoes on the trees, he said.

Dr Md Shafiqul Islam, chief scientific officer at the Rajshahi Fruit Research Station, said that last year was an on-year for mangoes and this is an off-year, so the yield will naturally fall, and the adverse weather will also hamper achievement of the target. Growers should use insecticide against the various hopper pests and spray water morning and evening at this time, he said.

Mst Umme Salma, assistant director of the district DAE office, said officers in all upazilas have been instructed to advise growers on keeping fruitlets on the trees in the face of the drought.

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