'Haribhanga' mangoes are collected and taken to the market. Photo: BSS

By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, June 14, 2025 (BSS) - Farmers are expecting a bountiful production of the fibreless, fleshy and extremely tasty 'Haribhanga' mango, as its harvest has just begun and the yield has been good in Rangpur agricultural region. 

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) have predicted a bumper 'Haribhanga' mango production this season despite minor damage caused by hailstorms and heavy rains during fruit setting.

Although rainfall was low during and after flowering, subsequent rainfall helped in smooth growth of tender fruits resulting in relatively big-sized 'Haribhanga' mangoes.

The formal collection process of 'Haribhanga' mangoes was supposed to begin on June 20, this time. 

However, due to the intense heat wave, farmers and traders have started picking mangoes from the trees in advance and this process will continue until July.

During the last season, farmers produced 38,508 tonnes of 'Haribhanga' mango from their orchards in 2,556 hectares of land in all five districts of the region.

"Of them, they produced 29,772 tonnes of 'Haribhanga' mango from orchards in 1,910 hectares of land in Rangpur district alone," Deputy Director of Rangpur DAE Agriculturist Md Sirajul Islam told BSS.

Farmers and traders are expecting to make an excellent trade of 'Haribhanga' mango worth Taka 200 crore in Rangpur district alone this time.

Although all varieties of mangoes are cultivated in the Rangpur region, 'Haribhanga' mango has gained commercial fame in this region changing the economic standard of many people in recent years.

"The 'Haribhanga' mango has already been recognized as a Geographical Indication (GI) product of Rangpur, which has created a huge demand for it locally and abroad," Sirajul Islam added.

The mango is largely being cultivated across Mithapukur upazila and dozens of villages in other seven upazilas of Rangpur and other places of Rangpur region and Parbatipur, Nababganj, Phulbari, Birampur and Chirirbandar upazilas of Dinajpur. 

Market sources said the per kg price of 'Haribhanga' mango currently remains between Taka 50 and 70 and the price will rise every day onward as harvesting of the mango will end by the end of July.

Shahjahan Miah, a mango farmer from Tekani village of Khoragachh union, said he has been cultivating 'Haribhanga' mango on an orchard since 2012 and is earning healthier profits every year.

Successful farmer Abdus Salam of village Akhirarhat in Mithapukur upazila said he has been cultivating the indigenous variety of 'Haribhanga' mango since 1992 contributing a lot to the expansion of its farming in Rangpur region. 

"Following my footsteps, many people are now becoming inclined to cultivate 'Haribhanga' mangoes on the high and low abandoned lands in the hope of making more profit than other crops," he said. 

While visiting some of the 'Haribhanga' mango orchards, this BSS reporter found that 'Haribhanga' mangoes were being collected and filled in plastic cartons and marketed by wholesale traders to different parts of the country. 

The mango orchard owners, mango vendors, people involved in orchard maintenance, seasonal mango sellers, online mango sellers, transport traders and courier service traders are busy in buying and selling mangoes in their own way.  

The biggest mango market during the 'Haribhanga' season is held at Podaganj Hat in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur. Mangoes started arriving there in cartons in auto rickshaws, bicycles, vans and pickup vans since morning on June 14. 

The sale of mangoes has become bustling with the presence of buyers. Mangoes can be seen being loaded onto trucks from a warehouse next to Podaganj Hat. 

With the gathering of people in the markets, anyone might think that these areas are the kingdom of Haribhanga mangoes. 

Additional Director of the DAE at its Rangpur regional office Agriculturist Md Shafikul Islam said farmers are expanding 'Haribhanga' mango cultivation every year and steadily attaining a sustainable agro-economy in Rangpur and adjoining areas.

"Many youths are now doing good business through online marketing of 'Haribhanga' mango' to reach the tasty fruit to people across the country through courier services from Rangpur this time like the previous years," Shafikul Islam said.