Untimely ripened mangoes available in 5 N districts

In the beginning of the Bangla month Baishakh, when the mango trees are full of tender green mangoes, fruit markets in Rangpur, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts see imported or smuggled Indian colourful mangoes, apparently ripened or sweetened through harmful artificial processes.

Against the backdrop, Kishoreganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Mehdi Hasan launched a mobile court yesterday and destroyed around five maunds of artificially ripened mangoes. He also fined a few traders.

As in other areas, the fruit in five northern districts of Rangpur agriculture region will ripe around two months later, said farmers and agriculturists.

Visiting different fruit markets of Rangpur and Nilphamari, this correspondent found foreign mangoes with attractive names like bou kotha kou, dilshad, and golap khas are selling at Tk 200-350 per kg.

"We collected mangoes from wholesalers and earning good profit by selling it. Customers often ask how the mangos ripened so early but we have no answer," said Babu Mia, a fruit trader of Saidpur railway market in Nilphamari.

Mangoes ripened or sweetened artificially can cause serious diseases to consumers, said Nilphamari Civil surgeon Abdur Rashid.

About 20 local varieties of mangoes are being cultivated in Rangpur agriculture region and the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) set a target to cultivate mangoes on commercial basis on 6541 hectares of land in five districts under region this year, which is about 250 hectares higher than last year.

"We expect good mango yield in the region this year," said Mesbahul Islam, horticulture specialist of the DAE.