The Satkhira district administration has fixed a schedule for picking and marketing mangoes.

The decision was taken at a meeting titled "Safe Mango Marketing" in the deputy commissioner's conference room at 11am on Wednesday (30 April).

Deputy Commissioner Mostak Ahmed, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) deputy director Saiful Islam, growers, traders, agriculture officials and administration officials at various levels attended.

After the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Mostak Ahmed said there would be no leniency on picking, storing or marketing immature mangoes, and strict watch would be kept with the help of law enforcement agencies and the agriculture department.

Under the schedule, Gobindabhog, Gopalbhog, Bombai, Golapkhas and local Baishakhi mangoes can be picked and marketed from 5 May, Himsagar from 20 May, Langra from 27 May and Amrapali from 5 June.

The deputy commissioner said mangoes could again be exported from Satkhira this year. To ensure exportable mangoes, quality will be protected and picking before the set dates will be stopped.

The agriculture department said each variety has a set time to mature. Picking early lowers taste and quality and harms export prospects. Satkhira mangoes have been exported regularly to Europe since 2015, opening new possibilities for the district's economy.

The meeting was told that mobile courts, checkposts and special monitoring teams will work in the field this season to watch mango picking and transport, and awareness campaigns will be run for growers and traders.

Satkhira's mangoes are popular not only in Bangladesh but in international markets. The district's weather and soil make its mangoes tasty, fragrant and long-lasting, which is essential to compete internationally.

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