At the beginning of the season in Satkhira, farmers are worried about the mango saleb market, syndicate
Photo Collected
Satkhira’s Sultanpur Big Bazaar is now selling mangoes. There are rows of trucks, vans and pickups laden with different varieties of mangoes including Gopalbhog, Govindbhog, Bombay, Golap Khas across the market. As per the scheduled schedule, the collection of indigenous mangoes started from May 5, but due to adverse weather conditions, the supply of mangoes to the market has started from yesterday Friday.
But at the beginning of the season, the farmers are worried because the price of mangoes has decreased. They complain that fair prices are not available as a syndicate is active in the market. They are struggling to meet the production cost.
বিজ্ঞাপন
According to the sources of the District Agriculture Extension Directorate, 4 thousand 140 hectares of land have been cultivated in Satkhira this year. About 45 thousand 750 farmers have cultivated mangoes in a total of 5 thousand 299 gardens. This time the production target is 70 thousand 900 metric tons. Out of this, 80 metric tons is targeted to be exported abroad. In total, the agriculture department expects to sell mangoes worth around Tk 350 crore this season.
According to the district administration’s mango calendar, collection of indigenous varieties of mangoes including Govindbhog, Bombay and Golap Khas has started in Satkhira from May 5. Himsagar will be available in the market from May 15. And Langra mango collection will start on May 27. Amrapali and Mallika mangoes will be marketed from June 5.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Yesterday we visited Fingri, Brahmarajpur, Dhulihar, Itagacha, Bansdah, Old Satkhira, Akhrakhola and Labsa areas of Sadar Upazila, mangoes were hanging in bunches on the trees in most of the orchards. Somewhere farmers are picking mangoes and filling crates. Somewhere wholesalers are buying mangoes from the garden.
Sona Majumdar, a farmer of Fingri area, told Prothom Alo, “I bought a garden for three and a half lakh taka.” In the last three months, nearly one lakh rupees have been spent in providing care. The yield on the tree has been good. Had it not been for a natural disaster, there would have been a profit. But because of the syndicate in the market, the price of mangoes has fallen. I am worried about it.
Abu Saeed, a mango trader in the same area, said that if the Sultanpur big market syndicate is not controlled, both the farmers and the traders will have to count the losses. Mangoes which cost about 2 thousand taka to produce, often have to be sold for 1 thousand 800 taka. He said, if the price of Himsagar mangoes is not good, most of the farmers will face loss.
Farmers at the field level say that the current market price is not convincing them due to increase in production cost, labor wages and transportation cost. As prices fall at the beginning of the season, they are increasingly worried about Himsagar and Langra mango markets ahead.
Fajr Ali, a trader in Sultanpur Big Bazaar, said that according to the official schedule, mango planting started from May 5, but enough mangoes were produced in the market on Saturday. At present, depending on the variety, each mango is being sold at Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,200.
Roshan Ali, president of Satkhira Bara Bazar Raw Material Traders Association, told Prothom Alo that care is being taken to ensure that no untoward incident occurs in the sale of mangoes. But due to lack of space in the market, there is a traffic jam for a certain period of time.
Deputy Director of District Agriculture Extension Directorate. Shafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo that the complaint of the syndicate in the market has been reported to the district administration. Currently, Gopalbhog and Govindbhog mangoes are being sold at around two thousand rupees per maund. At this price the farmer is not supposed to incur losses.
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