The markets of Naogaon are filled with various varieties of mangoes. These markets are now bustling with mango buying and selling throughout the day. However, almost all varieties of mangoes have ripened before the specified time due to excessive heat. Due to this, the farmers are not getting the right price for mangoes.
The Sapahar mango market in the district is one of the largest mango markets in the country.
On Tuesday, at around 11 am, farmers were seen bringing mangoes in battery-powered rickshaw vans and shallow engine-powered vans. Mango markets are spread over a few kilometers of the Sapahar Upazila Sadar, including the Zero Point-Godownpara Road, Zero Point-Tilna Road, Zero Point-Hospital Intersection Road, and Zero Point-Thana Intersection Road.
Local mango farmers said that the mango market started with the emergence of small mangoes on May 22. Gopalbhog, Himsagar or Khirsapati mangoes and Naogaon’s Nak Fazli mangoes, which have received GI recognition, were seen in the first week of June. Although Amrapali mangoes were supposed to be in the market from June 15 as per the schedule set by the administration, sales have started almost a week in advance. However, due to the massive import of Amrapali mangoes in the local market for the past two or three years, the market has become crowded. Not only Amrapali, but also Banana Mango and Bari-4 mangoes are being sold in the market ahead of schedule.
Mango farmers say that this time, due to the intense heat, almost all mangoes started ripening before the time set by the administration. Gopalbhog and Khirsapati mangoes started arriving in the market three-four days after the small mangoes ripened. Nak Fazli and Langra mangoes also arrived in the market at about the same time. Although the collection of Amrapali mangoes, which is the most cultivated type in Naogaon, was supposed to start from June 15, the mangoes started ripening on the trees seven-eight days before that time. Many were forced to collect Amrapali mangoes ahead of time and take them to the market. Apart from this, banana mangoes were supposed to come to the market from June 25 and Bari-4 mangoes were supposed to come to the market on July 5 as per the schedule. But all those mangoes have started ripening now. As the mangoes are ripe, the farmers are also taking Bari-4 and Banana Mango mangoes to the market.
In the Sapahar market, we spoke to Raihan Alam, a mango farmer from Dibar village in Patnitala upazila, Ziaur Rahman from Tilna village in Sapahar upazila, and Belal Hossain from Shatinpur village. They said that all the mangoes ripened almost at the same time this summer. The most cultivated varieties in this region, Amrapali, Nak Fazli and Bari-4 mangoes, reached the market almost at the same time. Although they received good prices at the beginning, the prices started falling for two to three days as a large number of mangoes started coming to the market at the same time. The price of a maund of mangoes has decreased from 300 to 800 in a span of two to three days. Due to the heat, one-third of the Amrapali and Bari-4 varieties of mangoes have already been picked after they ripened. And almost all the mangoes will ripen within two weeks. However, Amrapali and Bari-4 are available in the market in Naogaon until August. This time, it seems that all the mangoes will be ready by mid-July.
Talking to buyers and sellers in Sapahar market, it is known that Amrapali mango is priced at 3,100 to 3,800 taka per maund, Nak Fazli mango at 2,400 to 2,600 taka, Langra mango at 1,800 to 2,200 taka, Banana mango at 3,800 to 4,200 taka and Bari-4 mango at 2,200 to 2,400 taka. However, mangoes are being sold at 50 to 52 kg per maund in this market. This practice has been going on for several years. Mango traders call this practice of selling mangoes with an excess weight of 10 to 12 kg ‘Dhalta’. Mango farmers are suffering due to this practice.
Habibur Rahman, president of the Sapahar Mango Growers’ Association, said, “The cost of mango production has increased by 25 to 30 percent due to the increase in the price of fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and irrigation and labor costs. The cost of transportation has also increased due to the increase in the price of fuel oil. The heatwave is having an effect. But farmers are not getting the price of mangoes accordingly. The mangoes that farmers are selling at Tk 60 per kg in the Sapahar market are being sold at Tk 80 to Tk 100 per kg in Naogaon, Rajshahi or Dhaka city. Most of the profit share goes to the middlemen. On top of that, the sloppy practice of the traders is a real pain in the ass for the farmers. Despite repeated complaints, the administration has not been able to take any action to stop this practice.”
Sohel Rana, owner of the Barendra Agro Farm mango orchard in the Godownpara area of Sapahar, was harvesting amrapali mangoes with his workers. At that time, he expressed disappointment and said, “A week ago, the amrapali mangoes that were sold at a price of 4,200 taka per maund are now selling for 3,200 taka. That is why I am not harvesting raw mangoes. I am selectively harvesting the ripe mangoes. I will harvest more mangoes if the price goes up. But due to the heat, I don’t think I will be able to keep the mangoes in the orchard for long. This time the mangoes are ripening before their time.”
Humaira Mandal, deputy director of the Naogaon Department of Agricultural Extension, said, “The mango yield in Naogaon has been good this year. However, due to the weather, mangoes ripened early and almost all of them went to the market at the same time, so the farmers are getting a slightly lower price. Even so, the market price of the mangoes that are expected to be produced in Naogaon this year will not be below Tk 3,000 crore.”
According to sources from the Naogaon Department of Agricultural Extension, mangoes have been cultivated in an area of 30,500 hectares in the district this year. The production target this year has been set at 3,41,250 metric tons.
