Mango farmer Ariful Islam (50) of Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj. He has been involved in mango business for the past 25 years. During the season, he planted mangoes on trees and sold them in advance to other buyers.
But this time something different happened. He is unable to sell the garden even after trying for a long time. Because the mangoes did not come in the garden as expected. He spends his days in despair. Not only Ariful Islam but most of the mango farmers in the district are like this.
Ariful Islam told Jago News, I have been doing mango business for more than two centuries. Every year we grow mangoes and sell the garden. But this time there are not enough mangoes on the tree. So there are no buyers.
And this time the cost of pesticides has increased. Where will I give the money for these agricultural products if not mango? Even the workers we used to get for 200 rupees. Now the wage of the worker is 400 rupees. This will double the cost of production compared to previous years.
He said that mango trees are sold twice a year as a custom. Once in a while, the mango was caught on the tree. And once again the mangoes can be taken down and the garden can be sold in advance for the next year. But now neither is happening.
Suja Mia, a mango farmer of Pukuria area, said, I have a mango orchard of different varieties including Khirsapat, Langra, Amrapali, Fazli, Ashwina in about seven bigha of land. Every year we grow mangoes and sell them on the tree. But this time there are not enough mangoes in the garden. After trying for a long time, I can’t find buyers.
Rahidul Islam is a resident of Kansat Abbas Bazar area. Bent under the weight of age. He said that he got 15 bigha mango orchard by birth. Only one child lives abroad. For this reason, the laborers pick mangoes from the trees and sell them to other buyers. But this time he is not getting buyers. His 15 bigha mango orchard is lying neglected in it.
Rakimul Islam, the owner of the mango orchard of Shyampur Union of Shibganj Upazila, said that we have been living in Rajshahi with our family for a long time due to our job. There are more than 10 bigha of mango orchards in the native area. We contact the workers in these mango trees and sell them at that time. Buyers come and buy at our house. But this time no buyer is contacting us. I hear there are no mangoes in the garden.
Ismail Khan Shamim, general secretary of Shibganj Mango Producers Cooperative Society, said that due to climate change, fewer buds came in the garden. And it rained at the time of budding buds. It has caused huge damage to mangoes. 70 percent of the trees in the district do not have mangoes. That’s why buyers are not available.
But if the mango farmers can be brought under the incentives then the mango farmers will survive to some extent. Otherwise there may be an adverse effect on the mango business.
Palash Sarkar, Deputy Director of the District Agriculture Extension Department, said that the bad weather that is going on this time will not bring anything good for mangoes. There are even more natural disasters ahead. For example, Baisakhi storms, hailstorms may occur. If this happens, the production of mangoes will decrease further. All in all, the mango production we expected may not happen this time.
So the farmers are advised to change the old varieties and convert them to new varieties. Because we have been seeing mangoes coming from the small trees of the Nabi variety even though the previous big trees did not have mangoes.
Sohan Mahmood/RH/GKS
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