Mango growers in the Rajshahi region have suffered heavy losses after being caught up in the student movement. At the very end of the season, large quantities of mangoes have spoiled on the trees. Growers say the profit they hoped for at season's end did not come because transport was shut down. Many lost Fazli mangoes on the trees, and as fruit ripened and spoiled, many sold ripe mangoes in local markets for next to nothing.

Ziaur Rahman, a grower in Paba, Rajshahi, said growers were not happy with the crop on the trees this year anyway, but prices somewhat higher than usual had given them some relief. "At the end we did not get a good price for Fazli and Amrapali. The student movement began when 15-20 per cent of the mangoes were still on the trees. At first their shutdown meant mangoes could not be sent from Rajshahi to other districts, and then everything stopped with the curfew. Over five or six days, growers were left in despair."

Sirajul Islam, a mango trader in Shalbagan, Rajshahi, said this is the mango season's farewell. Fazli is almost finished on the trees, some trees still have Amrapali, and once Ashwina ripens the season is over. "There has been no business for four or five days. On many trees mangoes have ripened, fallen and spoiled, so there are no buyers. Large quantities of mangoes go from Rajshahi every day by courier and truck, and these have been shut for several days. Thousands of maunds of mangoes could not go, and many have ripened and spoiled." Many orchard owners sold mangoes in local markets at Tk 30-40 a kg, and some lost fruit on the trees, he said, though Fazli should be Tk 100 a kg at this time. If traffic resumes within a day or two, some of the very last Fazli might still be sent out.

Hafizur Rahman, general secretary of the Rajshahi Fruits Producer Association, said a mango cannot be held once it has ripened, and many have ripened and spoiled in the last four or five days.

He said production is low this year, but growers would have been happy if buying, selling and marketing had finished the way it was going. "But trouble came at the very end. Those who still have mangoes on the trees are very upset. The Fazli market in particular has been ruined." Four or five days ago Fazli was selling for Tk 2,000 or Tk 2,200 a maund and the price was rising daily, he said, but with vehicles off the road the fruit could not be sent to other districts. Those with fruit on the trees are trying to keep it there as long as possible without picking, because even if they pick they get no price, yet the fruit will not stay on the trees and is dropping. "We are just watching in despair. Once traffic resumes, perhaps there will be some relief."

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