Mango sprouting creates eye-catching look in Rajshahi

As the winter season ended earlier, hundreds and thousands of mango trees have started sprouting buds in Rajshahi region.

The blooming mango flowering at this stage predicts an excellent production of the most popular fruit in the region this season, if the climatic condition remains favourable till its harvesting, experts and scientists said.

Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Station Dr Alim Uddin said the prevailing climatic conditions are suitable for mango flowering and budding and thousands of mango trees have already worn eye-catching looks with huge blooms. Flowering began in the middle of January and will continue till mid-March.

Around 55 to 60 per cent mango trees have already sprouted buds in Chapainawabganj while 65 to 70 percent in Rajshahi as a suitable climate has been prevailing for farming. The remaining trees are expected to sprout by mid-March in some cases.

Monzurul Huda, Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), said the farmers have been caring and taking measures to make mango farming successful everywhere.

The farmers should contact the agriculture officers at the field levels and control the possible attacks by hoppers and some other pest attacks on the mango flowers, if any, for better mango formations and productions.

After witnessing the present condition, both the growers and the officials are very much optimistic about high yield of the seasonal fruit. "Buds started appearing in mango trees in the mango orchards in Chapainawabganj this season before the end of winter," said Nurul Islam, a mango grower of Shibganj of the district.

Dr Alim Islam said most of the commercial varieties of mango in the region are known as alternative or irregular varieties because they have the maximum yield after each alternative year.

There are around 3500000 mango trees of different ages on some 23 thousand hectares of land in the region, said the DAE officials concerned.

According to BSS the number of growing mango trees has been increasing in the region for the last couple of years following greater interest among the people. Mango, the leading seasonal cash crop of the northwestern region, vitalizes the overall economy of Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts.

Farming of mango has been increasing every year and the gardeners are earning huge profits by cultivating high yielding and hybrid varieties like Amropali side by side with the traditional and popular indigenous varieties.

The farmers and villagers have been showing more interests in mango farming, one of the most important seasonal cash crops of the region, in recent years with a view to increasing its productions and achieving economic well-being.