Mango production will not hit the target this season when the plants offered fresh leafs as against flowering in time. Further, severe drought spring season has been playing reverse role. The situation will hamper the production in the season in Jhenaidah like other parts of the country, said the farmers and orchard owners in Jhenaidah.
When contacted a number of orchard owners including farmers of Kotchandpur upazila and Shailkupa, they said they have witnessed least flowering in the mango plants this season. As there was huge rainfall in Maagh, the plants offered fresh leafs and barred the plants offering flowering in time. In most of the areas, the plants were almost either without flowering, or least flowering. Further, the bearings are affected by the drought like environment and falling to ground largely.
They said the least quantity of flowers will not offer adequate balls in the season. The situation proves that the district might see 50 percent of the bearings in the season hardly.
According to the office sources of the deputy director of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Khamarbari Jhenaidah, they had expected about 4,000 tons of mango from 3,000 hectares of land in the season. The farmers and orchard owners harvested 3,351 tones of mango from 2,882 hectares of land in the district last season. It contained Himsagar, Leagra, Fajli, Maldai, Khirshabhog, Mohombhog, Amrapali and some local varieties.
Upazila wise break up of land was 580 hectares in Jhenaidah Sadar, 370 hectares in Kaliganj, 710 hectares in Kotchandpur, 500 hectares in Moheshpur, 25 hectares in Shailkupa and 26 hectares in Harinakundu.
DAE deputy Director at Khamarbari Jhenaidah Asgar Ali when contacted said least bearing of mango was completely a natural matter. To achieve better yields, they have been advising the farmers and orchard owners to apply huge water in the surroundings of the orchards until and unless the rainfall was available.