With the arrival of the first flower buds, mango growers are passing busy time in nursing trees with expectations to harvest a good yield this year in the mango capital Chapainawabganj as the trees have started to bloom.
Authorities concerned with the mango cultivation said this year there has been no remarkable adverse impact of the chilly winter in the region and the favourable weather have contributed to the timely blooming of the flowers.
Moreover, this is an ‘on-year’ for mangoes, meaning that this year’s mango harvest is expected to be larger than usual.
If the weather remains congenial, the mango trees will be covered in blossoms, expect experts.
Talking to the mango growers, agricultural officials, and fruit researchers, it has been learned that there is a natural cycle in mango production. When a year sees a high yield, the following year sees a lower yield.
The year with a bumper yield is called an ‘on-year,’ while the next one is an ‘off-year.’ This year is expected to be an ‘on-year’ for mangoes.
The flowering season typically exists from early Magh (January) to mid-Falgun (February). Though there were a few chilly days at the beginning of Magh, the temperature has risen, helping the blossoming process.
Experts hope that by mid-February, mango orchards will be full of blossoms.
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Visiting several gardens this correspondent saw the trees covered with emerging flower buds. Some trees already have fully developed buds while farmers are working to care for their trees.
One Auhid, a mango farmer from the BSCIC area, said, “This year we haven’t had severe cold or dense fog, which is good for the trees. The weather is relatively favourable now, and my orchard has started to see the first buds.”
He hoped that the temperature would rise further and the flowers would develop well. They are taking good care of the orchards to ensure a healthy crop.
He expressed concern over the rise of costs of pesticides and other inputs, urging the government to address it.
Azam Ali, a mango grower from Nakattitola in Shibganj, also expressed optimism about the good weather conditions for mango flowering this year.
Other farmers from different areas, including Azizul from Jadupur and Abdul Rakib from Arambagh, shared similar hopes.
Dr. Mokhlesur Rahman, Chief Scientific Officer at Regional Horticultural Research Center in Chapainawabganj, said, "Last year, we saw fewer mango blossoms, so we expect a higher number this year. The weather has been very favourable, especially since we haven't experienced excessive cold or thick fog during the flowering period, which usually hinders the process.”
If the weather remains good, they expect most trees to bloom by mid-February, and 80% of the blossoms should appear by then. However, if there is rain during this period, it could damage the flowers, he predicted.
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Advising mango farmers to spray their orchards with appropriate pesticides and fungicides to protect the blossoms, he suggested proper irrigation if it does not rain in the coming days.
Dr. Palash Sarkar, deputy director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) the district, hoped that mango farmers would be able to harvest a good yield this year compared to the past year if the weather remained in favour.
According to the DAE, the district hosts 37,504 hectares of mango orchards, with the highest concentration in Shibganj upazila (20,100 hectares), followed by Sadar upazila (5,180 hectares). Last year, the district produced 348,278 metric tonnes of mangoes despite the ‘off-year’.
This year, farmers are hopeful of harvesting a good crop with the ‘on-year’ benefits.