The Dinajpur district is set to experience a boost in mango production, with the Department of Agricultural Extension projecting a yield of about 70,000 metric tons valued at Taka 150 crore (US$13.6 million). Spanning 4,246 hectares, mango cultivation efforts are underway across the region.
Md Anisuzzaman, the deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension, highlighted the past formalin scare's impact on the mango market, noting that producers now ensure poison-free mangoes. Wholesale markets at Kalitala and Gore-e-Shahid Boro Maidan are currently active, as reported by Md. Habibur Rahman, Assistant Director of Dinajpur Horticulture Department. Post-Eid-ul-Azha, mango supply resumed robustly, facilitating distribution to various districts, including Dhaka.
Golam Rahman, a mango trader from Gazipur, has shifted preference from Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi to Dinajpur, citing quality improvements. According to the Horticulture Department, several residents have prospered through mango cultivation, with substantial orchards spread across several upazilas, notably Nawabganj, known for superior varieties.
In Bhaduria Bazar, a pivotal mango market, sales surged post-Eid, with activity including 19 trucks and 42 pickups dispatched on a single day, per market leaseholder Shariful Islam. The demand in Dhaka for varieties like Banana Mango, Bari-4, Amrapali, among others, is rising, thanks to the assurance of formalin-free fruits. Approximately 50,000 seasonal workers support this trade.
Rashidul Islam, a grower from Nashipur, reports excellent yields in his orchard, suggesting Dinajpur's potential to enhance the national mango supply through expanded cultivation.
Source: NewAge