Shahriar suggests marketing of formalin-free mangoes

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RAJSHAHI, April 1, 2018 (BSS)-State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar
Alam, MP, has called for marketing of formalin-free mangoes for brining back
consumers’ trust and confidence in the seasonal delicious fruit.

He said there is an enormous scope of producing export-quality mangoes and
its marketing, harvesting and preservation through the best uses of modern
methods.

The state minister was addressing a seminar styled “Mango Production,
Harvesting, Preservation and Export through Good Agriculture Practice” at
Bagha Upazila Parishad conference hall in the district on Saturday as chief
guest.

The upazila administration organized the seminar in association with Small
and Medium Enterprise Foundation (SME).

Some 35 mango growers, traders and other stakeholders joined the seminar.

Chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shahin Reza, the meeting was addressed,
among others, by SME Consultant Dr Saleh Ahmed, Engineer Md Khalequzzaman and
director of Mango Research Centre Dr Halim Reza.

Shahriar Alam 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.

He said modern technologies need to be promoted commercially in mango
orchards in the region 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.

Dr Halim Reza said the mango production can be done safely and easily by
practicing some basic means such as washing hands while farming, not using
chemicals, temperature control, using fruit baskets for collection and using
clean water for irrigation.