Seasonal mangoes are all but absent from the market at this time of year. Yet in the orchard of Swapan Ali, a farmer in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj, about 50 maunds of year-round Katimon mangoes still hang on the trees. Some trees are in blossom and about 50 trees have set young fruit, which will be sold in the depth of winter. He has already earned more than Tk 1.25 crore from Katimon mangoes over the last three months.

Four years ago Swapan Ali leased 50 bighas in the Dhainagar area of Shibganj and began growing year-round Katimon mangoes. His aim was to produce and market mangoes in winter, and he has succeeded. Mangoes from his orchard are now selling in Chattogram and other parts of the country at Tk 12,000–15,000 a maund.

Several workers in the orchard said that in the past they worked during the mango season and sat idle the rest of the year. Because Swapan Ali grows mangoes out of season, they no longer have to sit idle and can work all year.

Swapan Ali told Jagonews24: "I used to grow seasonal mangoes, but for several years seasonal mangoes have not fetched a good price. So after heavy losses I started growing year-round mangoes. In the last three months I have sold mangoes worth Tk 1 crore 30 lakh. More than 50 maunds are still hanging in the orchard, and some trees have blossomed. Those will be sold two months from now."

Ismail Khan Shamim, general secretary of the Shibganj Mango Producer Co-operative Society, said growers had achieved the impossible by producing mangoes out of season. Mangoes from the district will now be available all year, benefiting growers, he said.

Upazila agriculture officer Nayan Mia said that after losses on seasonal mangoes in recent years, growers are turning to year-round varieties and many are profiting. Year-round Katimon will create commercial potential, he said, and if more off-season mangoes can be produced, the door to exports will open and the district's economy will be boosted.

This season year-round mango varieties have been grown on 415 hectares in the upazila. People involved hope that exporting Chapainawabganj mangoes to world markets will earn large amounts of foreign currency in future.

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