Rajshahi harbours high hopes for bumper mango harvest

The prospects of the mango harvest seem bright in the upcoming season in Rajshahi district despite the bitter cold (along with a cold wave), fog and anomalous weather conditions, said officials of the Rajshahi Horticulture Research Centre. According to scientists of the Mango Research Centre in Rajshahi, the weather condition of the region, till now, appears to be extremely suitable for the largest budding of mango trees. “A small number of local varieties of mangoes has already started budding. There is hope that the upcoming season will hold promise for the region’s mango farmers,” they said.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) at Rajshahi, mangoes were cultivated on 16,583 hectares last year. This year the figure is expected to touch 17,000 hectares.
The Rajshahi Fruit Research Centre’s senior scientific officer, Hasan Waliullah, said, “So far, Rajshahi’s climate seems favourable for good budding of mangoes. Most of the mango trees are currently in the budding stage and flowers will emerge from the mango buds within the next couple of weeks.”
Agricultural scientists, however, complained that the production of mangoes in greater Rajshahi district is being hampered every year, since insecticides are sprayed unwisely and in an untimely manner on the mango trees.
Dr Alim Uddin, principal scientific officer of the Rajshahi research centre, told this correspondent that buds of many mango trees wither away since insecticides are used in an untimely manner on mango trees. Most mango farmers of the region have no idea as to which insecticides should be used and at what time on their trees. They also have no idea about the quantity of insecticides to be sprayed. As a result, their mango orchards often bear meagre fruit or no fruit at all. He further noted that the ‘king of fruits’, as it is known, enjoys tremendous demand in the country and abroad. This fruit is also the chief cash crop for many farmers of Rajshahi region. But because of ignorance on the part of mango farmers and untimely use of pesticides on trees, production of mangoes is dwindling and they are incurring heavy losses. Dr Alim said at the time of emergence, mango buds are attacked by hopper insects, which consume young mango flowers and the sap of buds. As a result, mango buds wither away. Dr Alim further said the upcoming mango season appears to be favourable for mango production since the day temperatures in Rajshahi have been low.

Rajshahi harbours high hopes for bumper mango harvest

The prospects of the mango harvest seem bright in the upcoming season in Rajshahi district despite the bitter cold (along with a cold wave), fog and anomalous weather conditions, said officials of the Rajshahi Horticulture Research Centre. According to scientists of the Mango Research Centre in Rajshahi, the weather condition of the region, till now, appears to be extremely suitable for the largest budding of mango trees. A small number of local varieties of mangoes has already started budding. There is hope that the upcoming season will hold promise for the regions mango farmers, they said. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) at Rajshahi, mangoes were cultivated on 16,583 hectares last year. This year the figure is expected to touch 17,000 hectares. The Rajshahi Fruit Research Centres senior scientific officer, Hasan Waliullah, said, So far, Rajshahis climate seems favourable for good budding of mangoes. Most of the mango trees are currently in the budding stage and flowers will emerge from the mango buds within the next couple of weeks. Agricultural scientists, however, complained that the production of mangoes in greater Rajshahi district is being hampered every year, since insecticides are sprayed unwisely and in an untimely manner on the mango trees. Dr Alim Uddin, principal scientific officer of the Rajshahi research centre, told this correspondent that buds of many mango trees wither away since insecticides are used in an untimely manner on mango trees. Most mango farmers of the region have no idea as to which insecticides should be used and at what time on their trees. They also have no idea about the quantity of insecticides to be sprayed. As a result, their mango orchards often bear meagre fruit or no fruit at all. He further noted that the king of fruits, as it is known, enjoys tremendous demand in the country and abroad. This fruit is also the chief cash crop for many farmers of Rajshahi region. But because of ignorance on the part of mango farmers and untimely use of pesticides on trees, production of mangoes is dwindling and they are incurring heavy losses. Dr Alim said at the time of emergence, mango buds are attacked by hopper insects, which consume young mango flowers and the sap of buds. As a result, mango buds wither away. Dr Alim further said the upcoming mango season appears to be favourable for mango production since the day temperatures in Rajshahi have been low.