Bumper mango harvest in Ashashuni : Farmers frustrated due to low price
Sachchida Nanda Dey Saday, Ashashuni (Satkhira)
This year, mangoes have been cultivated on 145 hectares of land in Ashashuni, Satkhira. Orchards are filled with varieties like Himsagar, Langra, Amrapali, and Govindabhog. While the yield has been excellent, small and mid-level farmers are disappointed due to not getting fair prices.
Farmers say the sudden rise in temperature and the simultaneous ripening of mangoes led to a market glut, causing prices to drop. Due to the influence of middlemen and syndicates, mangoes are being sold at Tk 1,600–2,350 per maund, whereas the production cost is Tk 1,800–2,000 per maund.Abdul Matin, a farmer from Beula village, said that although he cultivated mangoes on 6.5 bighas of land and managed to cover his costs, he is seeing little to no profit. In contrast, large-scale farmer Idris Ali, who marketed his mangoes directly, earned a profit of around Tk 380,000 from just one orchard.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Shubhrangshu Shekhar Dash said the district administration has designated the PTI ground in the town as a temporary mango market to help farmers sell directly to consumers. Market monitoring is ongoing to ensure mangoes reach consumers safely and fairly.
