Considering the weather, growers began picking mangoes ten days ahead of the set date, and as a result Rangpur's traditional Haribhanga mango has been available in markets since Saturday, 10 June.

The mangoes have already started arriving at markets including the temporary hat beside the central bus terminal in Rangpur city, Padaganj and City Bazar.

Growers and traders say small Haribhanga mangoes are selling at Tk 1,000 to 1,200 a maund, medium ones at Tk 1,300 to 1,400 and large ones at Tk 1,500 to 1,700. The yield is good this year, but a lack of rain and high temperatures have kept the fruit from growing very large.

Humayun Kabir, a grower in Padaganj, said: "The mangoes are a bit smaller than last year, but the yield is as expected. Because of the weather, picking started ten days early this time. I sold medium-sized mangoes from my orchard at Tk 1,300 a maund."

Saomun Zubayer Sakin, who supplies mangoes online, said: "Since last year I have been taking mango orders online and delivering them around the country. This time I got an order for a maund of medium mangoes on the very first day. Sending a maund to Dhaka costs Tk 800 to 1,000 for crates, packing and courier."

Abdus Salam Sarkar, president of the Haribhanga Mango Growers' Council, said: "Considering the circumstances, we gave the district administration a memorandum asking for the marketing date to be moved from 20 June to 10 June. The administration took our application into account, and we are grateful to the deputy commissioner."

Obaidur Rahman Mondal, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Rangpur, said mangoes of all varieties have been planted on about 3,535 hectares in Rangpur this year, of which 1,905 hectares are Haribhanga, 40 hectares more than last year. With a better yield than last time, about 35,000 tonnes of mangoes could be produced. "We hope mango sales will exceed Tk 300 crore this time," he said.

He added that growers had been asked not to market mangoes before the government's set date. "Growers are now very aware and responded to our call. Because of natural conditions the mangoes began ripening early, which is why we decided on an early harvest. In line with that decision, growers are picking mangoes from today."

Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Dr Chitralekha Nazneen told Jagonews that Haribhanga picking started on Saturday following the growers' application, and the district administration will monitor the marketing to make sure there are no problems.

Growers submitted a memorandum to the Rangpur deputy commissioner on Monday, 5 June, asking for Haribhanga mangoes to be supplied to markets from 10 June instead of 20 June. The Rangpur district administration and DAE issued a notice to that effect at noon on Wednesday, 7 June.

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