Mango harvest kicks off in Rajshahi tomorrow

Mango cultivators will begin harvesting the fruit tomorrow from Rajshahi following the scheduled date as instructed by the local administration.

Rajshahi district administration, in a joint meeting with mango experts, cultivators and traders on Thursday, scheduled the dates for collection of the different varieties of the fruit.

The administration set the deadline to curb the marketing of premature mangoes, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi Muhammad Shariful Haque.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, there were fewer mango buds this year and many fell prematurely due to severe drought. Overcoming all weather hazards, there has been an ample growth of mangoes in trees.

Farmers will be largely benefitted if the mangoes are harvested without any natural disasters. They can earn a better profit this time compared to previous years, said the Department of Agricultural Extension.

As per the local administration's instruction, collection of mangoes of "Guti" variety is scheduled to begin 13 May, while collection of other varieties has been scheduled as – Gopalbhog (20 May), Laxmanbhog and Ranipasand (25 May), Himsagar or Kheershapaat (28 May), Langra (6 June), Fazli and Amrapali (15 June), Ashwina and BARI Mango-4 (10 July) and Gaurmati (15 July).

Mango is being cultivated in 18,515 hectares of land in the district this year. The production target has been set at around 230,000 metric tons.