The first consignment of 500kg of Gopalbhog mangoes from Rajshahi is en route to Dhaka today to be exported to Sweden.

The ban on harvesting Gopalbhog mangoes, to ensure natural ripening, ended on May 20. Yet, most growers in Rajshahi division, that covers the four highest mango producing districts, are sitting idle.

Sitting on a rickshaw-van, Abdul Jalil Mondol was watching his son, grandsons and labourers pluck mangoes from the trees at his orchard.