The farmers including the mango orchard owners were very happy to see the huge flowering in their plants this season although it has been appearing late for about two weeks. The area of mango farming stood at 2,357 hectares as against last season’s 2,211 hectares. They have been expecting better yield if there is no natural calamities or havoc during the season, they said.
When this correspondent visited Solemanpur and Bazrapur villages in Kotchandpur upazila and Khalishpur and Bhairaba Bazer area in bordering Moheshpur upazilas, talked to a number of mango producing farmers and orchard owners.
They said they were disappointed when the sprouting was almost least about three weeks back in the end of winter. But their assumption was proved untrue when huge flowering was seen at almost every mango plant since the end of winter. It has been meeting the demands of the eyes of the farmers they said.
According to a source related to the office of the deputy director of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Khamarbari Jhenaidah, said the farmers in their individual land and orchards had produced 33,511 tons of mango on their 2,211 hectares of land. Production on each hectare was 15 tons on an average. The farmers in the current season are hopefully producing 35,922 tons of mango on 2,357 hectares of land where they might harvest 15.24 tons on each hectare on an average, they said.
Upazila agriculture officer (UAO) in Kotchandpur Mohasin Ali when contacted said they have been producing most of the mangoes in the district. The area of mango farming is increasing in every year there when the farmers as well as the orchard owners have been reaping better in yield and prices.
UAO said most of the farmers have been producing Amrapally, Himsagar and Lengra, while some of them are expanding the land for Katiman and Haribhanga variety of mango. Amrapally variety, the most lucrative variety is considered by the farmers due to its good prices and taste among the consumers, UAO Mohasin Ali said.
Deputy Director of the DAE in Jhenaidah Asgar Ali when contacted said the farmers in Jhenaidh have been taking care of the individual and orchards when they were benefitted from the fruit every year. As the fruit had potential round the season, farmers have been showing their interest.
Although huge mango varieties are brought in Jhenaidah and surrounding markets from Kanshat, Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Meherpur and Chuadanga, the local production has been meeting a good portion of the demand. Its production has been increasing every year and has been strengthening the socio-economic state of the farmers.
To make the fruit farming profitable, they have been providing training to the farmers on orchard management, irrigation, pest management, grading and natural preservation of fruits. The field level staffs of the DAE were advised to stand by the farmers round the season, deputy director said.