C’nawabganj Lockdown: Mango traders incur losses

Farmers and traders of Gopalbhog mangoes are incurring huge financial losses because of the ongoing seven-day lockdown in Chapainawabganj.

According to the farmers and traders, the ongoing lockdown caused an unexpected shortage of customers in the local markets and barriers in the transportation of the produce.

The breed of mangoes started ripening and it is not possible to keep those on the trees any longer. If the situation remains the same, the farmers and traders will face a huge financial loss, they added.

Johnny Ali, a mango trader, said he purchased around 200kg of Gopalbhog mangoes yesterday morning but was unable to sell even a kg because of buyers' absence in the markets.

Mohammad Shaju, another trader, said he had leased a garden with 300 mango trees at Betbaria village in the district's Sadar upazila spending Tk 4 lakh.

He also could not earn a penny yesterday by selling the mangoes, he said.

Muhammad Nazrul Islam, deputy director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in the district, said the district's economy depended on mango trade.

A total of ​​34,738-hectare land in the district is used for mango cultivation. The production target was 2.5 lakh metric tonnes this year, he added.

Contacted, the agriculture department officials said no restriction was imposed on mango farmers and traders. They could send their produce to other districts maintaining health guidelines.

According to the traders, Gopalbhog mangoes were being sold between Tk 1,400 and Tk 1,500 per maund (40kg).