The Bengali month of Magh has just begun, and there is no trace of Falgun yet. But mango trees are already in full bloom in the gardens and villages of Khulna.
There are mango buds everywhere.
Local residents are happy with the early bloom of the buds. Bees are too far away, from one tree to another, to collect honey. The sweet scent of the buds draws them closer, like magic. Bees and beetles are humming on every branch of the trees.
In the city, pedestrians look at the trees in awe, while farmers expect a good harvest in the orchards. On the outskirts of the city, the sight of newly blooming buds is breathtaking. The same is the case in villages.
Local sources said that buds are in full bloom in the Noornagar, Khalishpur, Daulatpur, Khanjahan Ali, and Shiromani areas of the division. There is an aroma of mangoes in the air already.
In the Khulna region, 35 to 40 varieties of mangoes are cultivated in home gardens every year. Alongside this, there are 250 varieties of mangoes cultivated all over the country. Notable among these are Fazli, Gopalbhog, Mohanbhog, Khirshapat, Langra, Himshagar, Krishanbhog, Mallika, Lakkhana, Amrapoli, Dudhshar, Dudhkalam, Bindabani, Arjan, Rani Pasan, Misridana, Sinduri, and Ashwina.
Rahima Begum from the Noornagar area pointed to a tree and said that this tree blooms early every year.
“Seeing the buds on the tree means that the season of mango is arriving... The time to say goodbye to winter is approaching,” she said.
According to the local Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the buds in local trees of the local variety of mangoes appear from the end of December to the middle of January. The same is true for trees that are harvested throughout the year. In February, buds start to appear on trees of other varieties. By the middle of this month this year, all the trees will have buds if the weather is favorable. The yield of mango depends on the weather, the official said.
Kazi Jahangir Hossain, deputy director of divisional DAE, said that buds can be seen on the trees at the beginning of the season. The trees are usually full of buds at the beginning of Falgun. This year the buds are on time as well; it is normal, he added.
