The Satkhira’s Himsagar mangoes have started to appear in the market.
According to the district administration's mango collection calendar, farmers began harvesting Himsagar mangoes on Wednesday. Due to the influx of mangoes, the markets in Satkhira are bustling with activity. Mangoes are everywhere, and the market is overflowing with them.
A visit to Satkhira's main market revealed that many buyers and sellers were engaged in bargaining over mango prices. Gobindobhog mangoes are sold at Tk2,000 to Tk2,500 per maund, while Gopalbhog mangoes are priced between Tk1,500 and Tk2,000 per maund.
However, many people said that the prices are being set based on the size of the mangoes. Those with larger mangoes are fetching higher prices.
Akib Hossain came to sell mangoes and said: “I purchased a garden for Tk15 lakh this year. Compared to previous years, the mango yield has been lower. Despite this, I remain hopeful of making a profit from the sales because the trees that have borne fruit have produced very good quality mangoes. However, some of my trees did not bear any fruit at all. I remain optimistic despite the challenges.”
When asked about the lower yield, he explained that excessive heat this year caused many mangoes to fall from the trees. The intense heat persisted from the mango blossoms stage to the harvesting period, significantly reducing yield.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Satkhira, the mango production target for the district this year is set at 50,000 tons. Among the upazilas, 1,235 hectares in Sathkhira Sadar, 658 hectares in Kalaroa, 715 hectares in Tala, 380 hectares in Debhata, 825 hectares in Kaliganj, 145 hectares in Assasuni, and 160 hectares in Shyamnagar have been dedicated to mango cultivation.
There are 5,299 registered mango orchards and 13,100 farmers in the district. In total, mangoes are cultivated on 4,118 hectares of land.
Saiful Islam, deputy director of DAE, said that the harvesting of Himsagar mangoes started on Wednesday in Satkhira. Earlier, the collection of some local varieties began on May 9.
Gradually, Langra mangoes will be collected from May 29, and Amrapali mangoes from June 10.
He emphasized that not all mangoes on a tree mature at the same time, so he urged farmers not to harvest them before they have fully matured.