FruitsRabiul Islam Rabi's 12-bigha orchard in Gomastapur, Chapainawabganj, still carries Katimon and Kalyanbhog mangoes in November, and scion sales have earned him about Tk 5 lakh this year to September.
Katimon, a Thai year-round variety planted on under a hectare in 2014, now covers 4,757 hectares in four districts; by top-working old trees farmers harvest out of season at three to ten times main-season prices.
At Sohel Rana's 75-bigha Barendra Agro orchard in Sapahar, 1,800 Gourmoti and 1,700 Katimon trees are still carrying fruit that sells at Tk 7,000-8,000 a maund, well after the main season.
With the mainstream mango crop finished in Naogaon, Sohel Rana's Barind Agro in Sapahar has 1,800 Gourmoti and 1,700 Katimon trees in fruit; after selling more than Tk 1 crore of seasonal mango he expects 400 maunds of Gourmoti at Tk 8,000 and 450 maunds of Katimon at Tk 7,000, employing ten local y
Output has reached about 100,000 tonnes a year on some 7,000 acres, returns run to about Tk 500,000 a bigha, and ripe fruit sells at Tk 160-280 a kilo from pavement carts to upmarket shops in September.
