Experts for harvesting export quality mango in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, May 20, 2018 (BSS)- Agricultural experts and extension officials urged the farmers to harvest export quality mango in the region for earning more foreign currency.

They mentioned need-based measures were taken to brining all the mango farmers under requisite training for promotion of modern technologies for making the mango harvesting and marketing process safe and hygienic to boost its export.

They were addressing a view-sharing meeting with farmers, traders and others concerned at BRDB conference hall in Bagha Upazila Complex in the district yesterday. BARI and DAE jointly organized the meeting discussing ways and means on how to maintain export quality of the newly harvested mango.

Director General of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) Dr Abul Kalam Azad addressed the meeting as chief guest with Additional Director of Department of Agriculture Extension Mustafizur Rahman in the chair.

Chief Scientific Officer of Regional Horticulture Research Centre Dr Hamim Reja, Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Center Dr Alim Uddin and Senior Scientific Officer of OFRD (Barind Centre) Dr Shakhawat Hossain also spoke.

Dr Kalam Azad mentioned that modern technologies are being promoted commercially in mango orchards in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts during the present pre-harvest season to protect mango from pest attack besides facilitating the farmers to get quality and better yield.

Mango is a leading seasonal cash crop of the country's northwest region and dominates the economy in the two districts famous for the delicious fruit.

He said there are about 30 lakh mango trees of different ages and varieties on some 32,816 hectares in the region.

If the modern technologies were promoted substantially and use of chemical insecticides and pesticides could be reduced to a greater extent, the modern method will open up a new door of exporting mango of the two districts, to various foreign markets, added Dr Azad.

He told the meeting that mangoes of the region are being exported to some foreign countries for the last couple of years and expected that the export volume will increase this year.