Raw mangoes have appeared in the markets of the hill district of Rangamati, with sellers asking Tk 400 a kg, though some are selling for a little less depending on size. The mangoes were on sale at Banarupa bazar in the district town on the morning of Wednesday, 11 March.

Householders collect these local-variety mangoes from hill villages and sell them in the town market. Seller Mintu Chakma said the unripe mangoes had been brought to market before the season in the hope of a higher price.

At about 7am at Banarupa bazar, five sellers were seen sitting with baskets of raw mangoes. Buyers were relatively few in the early morning, but the sellers were asking Tk 400 a kg. As the day went on, more mango sellers arrived, and some of them were asking Tk 200 a kg.

A government official who bought raw mangoes, and did not want to be named, said raw mangoes are hard to find before the season. "I found them in the market today, so I bought two kilos for Tk 400. It isn't really necessary to buy at such a price, but I bought them for the pleasure of it."

Seller Sabuj Chakma said the mangoes are not yet mature, and most trees have only just started to set fruit. Because some local-variety trees have borne a little early fruit, householders have brought them to market hoping for some profit. "I buy from them and sell here. I asked Tk 400 a kg in the morning but found no buyers. By 10am I sold at Tk 200 a kg."

Masiur Rahman, sub-assistant agriculture officer of Rangamati Sadar upazila, said pesticide cannot be applied properly to large local mango trees, so when local mangoes ripen, insects start to attack them and they lose their market value. Farmers therefore try to sell them raw to make some profit. He said mangoes have only just begun to set fruit, though some local varieties may have started bearing early, and the supply of raw mangoes to the market will rise further around the middle of the Bengali month of Chaitra.

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