New Late-Season Mango Variety Kalyanbhog Gains Popularity Among Bangladeshi Farmers
Photo Collected
A new late-harvest mango variety named Kalyanbhog is gaining significant traction among farmers and agricultural experts in Bangladesh, promising a potential boost to the country’s fruit economy. The variety, discovered by chance in the Malda district of West Bengal, India, has been successfully adapted and propagated across the Chapainawabganj region.
The origin of the cultivar dates back to August, when Mainul Islam, a gardener at the Chapainawabganj Horticulture Center, visited a nursery in Malda. Despite the mango season nearing its end, Islam spotted large fruits on a three-year-old tree. After sampling an unripe fruit and finding it exceptionally sweet, he collected scions—grafting wood—and brought them back to Bangladesh.
The scions were first grafted at a garden in Godagari, Rajshahi, five years ago. Following successful fruiting, the variety was introduced to Gomostapur and other areas within Chapainawabganj. Horticulturalists at the Chapainawabganj Horticulture Center later analyzed the fruit’s characteristics and named it Kalyanbhog, reflecting both the location of the center in Kalyanpur and the residence of the gardener who introduced it.
Khaledur Rahman, Deputy Director of the Chapainawabganj Horticulture Center, identified Kalyanbhog as a late-maturing variety, which makes it highly valuable as it reaches the market after the peak season. The fruit weighs between 450 and 900 grams, features an attractive appearance, and boasts a Total Soluble Solids (TSS) content of approximately 22 percent. Furthermore, the variety is disease-resistant, requires lower production costs, and can be stored for up to 15 days, making it a viable candidate for future exports.
Local farmers are reporting strong financial returns. Rabiul Islam, an orchard owner in Khayrabad, Gomostapur, reported earning 2 million taka last year through the sale of fruit, saplings, and scions. He has set a sales target of 5 million taka for the current year. With current market prices at 140 taka per kilogram, the demand for saplings has surged, extending to the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
The variety has earned a reputation among consumers and experts alike, with some observers referring to it as “Late Khirshapat,” comparing its quality to the popular Khirshapat variety. Mahbub Siddiqui, a mango researcher and author, praised the discovery and emphasized the need for the wider promotion of this variety.
According to data from the Horticulture Center, 2,000 saplings have been sold over the past three years, with demand currently exceeding production capacity. As private nurseries increase their output to meet this interest, Kalyanbhog is rapidly establishing itself as a significant investment for mango growers across the country.
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