Rising orchard keeping cost worry C’nawanganj mango growers

A mango farmer of Chapainawabganj maintaining his orchard.

Chapainawabganj, Mar 20 – As summer approaches, mango trees have already bloomed and worn eye-catching look with huge flowers, spreading a sweet scent in every corner of Chapainawabganj, known as the country’s mango capital.

Farmers are taking care of the orchards in the hope of a good yield as the weather has been favorable so far this year.

But due to the hike in the prices of various materials used for nurturing orchards, including pesticides, the farmers are struggling to take care of the mango trees.

Visiting different areas of the district, the UNB correspondent found mango trees covered in blossoms. And such a scene is now adorning not only the rural areas but also the city, making farmers hopeful of a bumper yield this year.

Mango farmers said that the weather has been favorable since the beginning of the season. As a result, orchards have been covered with mango blossoms.

Abdur Rakib, a mango grower, said, "I have an orchard of Amrapali in Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila which consists of 1,000 trees. Although the weather has been favourable so far this year, the maintenance cost of the orchard has increased many folds due."

He said the cost of 1 litre pesticides has increased by Tk 300, from last year’s Tk 500 to Tk 800 this year.

"I bought a fungicide at Tk 900 (last year), now I have to buy it at Tk 1,200. Due to the increase in the price of fuel, the cost of irrigation in the garden has also increased," he added.

Azam Ali, another farmer, said the cost of labour has also increased this year.

"The price of pesticides is high. Labour costs have increased as well. And I’m still trying to take care of the orchard. However, we are a little worried about the rising cost even though the trees are full of buds," Azam said.

The mango growers have called on the government to intervene to resolve their problem.

Mango is the main cash crop in Chapainawabganj. More than 150 delicious varieties of mangoes, including Fazli, Khirsatap, Gopalbhog, and Langra, are produced in the district. Mangoes produced here are exported abroad as well as supplied to different parts of the country to meet local demand.

Palash Sarker, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension(DAE), said he is expecting record production of mangoes this year if the weather remains favourable.

"We’re advising the farmers on garden maintenance. If the weather remains favorable, there is a possibility of producing more than 4 lakh metric tonnes of mangoes this year," Palash said.

According to the DAE, mango orchards cover 37,588 hectares of land in the district. The department has set a target to produce 4,40,956 metric tonnes of mangoes this year. Last year, the production was 313,736 metric tonnes. - UNB