Naogaon Correspondent:

After the Eid holidays, mango trading gained momentum in different markets of the district with delicious varieties of seasonal fruit appearing in the markets.

Mango markets are crowded in Naogaon, known as the commercial capital of mangoes, as the markets are spread over an area of about two kilometers on both sides of the Sapahar-Nazipur regional road in the district.

Trading takes place from dawn to dusk every day. Before sunrise, farmers bring different varieties of mangoes to the market in vans, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws to sell those.

Although the sale of mangoes started before Eid, traders started coming from different districts of the country including Dhaka after Eid.

Due to the intense heat of the last few days, almost all varieties of mangoes have come to the markets at the same time. As a result, the price of mangoes has come down.

Meanwhile, some disputes have been observed between farmers and traders over the weight and quality of mangoes determined by the administration.

Farmers complain that even though the administration has ordered to purchase mangoes by the kilogram, traders are not following it.

In this regard, traders said that the price of mangoes is low as there is not much demand for mangoes in the country’s divisional markets including Dhaka.

Therefore, they are afraid of losses. Currently, Himsagar, Langra, Nakfazli, Banana Mango and Amrapali have come to the market together.

However, sales are very slow. This Monday morning, Himsagar was seen being sold at Taka 1400-1600 per maund while Langra at Taka 1200-1500, Nakfazli at Taka 1300-1800 per maund, Banana Mango at Taka 3500-4200, Haribhanga at Taka 1500-2500 and Amrapali at Taka 1800-3500 per maund at the mango markets in Sapahar of the district.

Al Mamun, a mango farmer from Oranpur village in Sapahar, said: “The price of mangoes is very low this year. Last year, I sold mango for Taka 4200-4500 per maund but on Monday I sold mango Taka 2000-2500 per mound. The price at which I sold the mangoes will not even cover the production cost. I will have to calculate the loss of a lot of money.”

Qurban Ali, a mango farmer from Patnitala upazila who came to sell mangoes at Sapahar Haat, said that he has taken 10 bighas of land and has planted an Amrapali mango garden. Today, he sold some mangoes in the market. The price is half compared of last year. This is the manipulation of the traders’ syndicate.

Taslim Uddin, a mango farmer from Sapahar, said that traders are buying mangoes in syndicates at 50 to 52 kilograms per mound.

However, this is not right. The administration needs to increase its monitoring in this regard.

Meanwhile, Rafiqul Islam, a mango trader from Kansat in Chapainawabganj, said that we have fixed the maund at 50 to 52 kg after discussing with the farmers.

Mango trader Sifatullah from Dhaka said, “I bought mangoes and sent those to Dhaka but there are no buyers. The office has just opened after Eid. Mango prices will increase if the number of people in Dhaka increases.

Joynal Abedin, vice-president of Sapahar Upazila Mango Growers Cooperative Society, said although the yield is comparatively low this year, the size of the mangoes is quite good. Traders have already started coming from all over the country.

He said work is being done in coordination with the administration to control the overall situation in the market.

Abul Kalam Azad, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE)of the district, said mangoes were cultivated on 30,300 hectares of land in the district this year while the production target has been set at 3,87,234 tonnes.