Farmers urged to adopt modern technology in mango farming

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RAJSHAHI, Dec 29, 2017 (BSS)- Speakers at a function urged the grassroots level growers to adopt modern technologies in mango farming as it could be the vital means of making juicy fruit more profitable.

They said there is no alternative to use modern technologies in the fruit farming from its nursing to marketing to meet up the gradually mounting demand of the fruit.

The observation came in a daylong farmers training styled “Modern Technology in Mango Farming and its Post-harvest Management” here on Thersday.

Fruit Research Station (FRS) of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institution (BARI) and Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) jointly organized the training at Badalgachhi Upazila Horticulture Centre. Some 80 women farmers from various villages of the area joined the training.

BMDA Chairman Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Masum Ali Beg addressed the training as chief and special guests respectively with BMDA Executive Officer Shariful Islam in the chair. Principal Scientific Officer of FRS Dr Alim Uddin addressed the session as focal person.

Dr Akram Chowdhury said modern technologies will have to be promoted commercially in mango orchards in the region to protect this fruit from pest attack with facilitating the farmers to get quality and better yield.

He said there is no alternative to train the farmers for substantial and sustainable use of modern technologies. Women farmers should be given priority in this regard as they are very much sincere and attentive to the homestead gardening.

Dr Alim Uddin said FRS has developed many updated technologies and has started disseminating those among the growers and seasonal traders for making the harvest and marketing process safe and hygienic.

In addition to the government agencies, many non-government organizations concerned provide training to the growers and traders to make them habituated in producing and harvesting coupled with post-harvest handling, transportation and marketing of mango in safe and hygienic ways, he added.