It's a happy season ahead

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Dec. 15. — If the present climate continues, mango buds would make their presence felt within the next 15 days which is a good symptom and an indication of a better crop in Malda district, said mango cultivators here. A group of big mango cultivators said that fluctuation of climate and unplanned system of cultivation are the main reasons for the loss of original taste of Malda mangoes. As a result, the demand for the otherwise popular Malda mangoes has been gradually decreasing in other states. This year, owing to the heat wave, popular variety of mangoes matured early than its scheduled time and the farmers were forced to pluck such mangoes to sell in the local markets at a low price, they said. In 2003, the cultivators faced problems owing to cold wave and mango buds came too late. It may be noted that after 1999, the district famous for mango cultivation, has not recorded bumper crop production. Not only the cultivators, but also the mango development officers of the district horticulture department, admitted that devastating flood was the main reason for the drop in production of mangoes here. “There is no need to build any embankment on the left bank of the Ganges. The flood water of the Ganges and its silt is imperative for good production of mangoes,” said Mr Subodh Mishra, the secretary of the Malda mango Merchants’ Association. “Last year we got better production of Ashwina, a late mango variety, suitable for processing of mango by-products but the common farmers and traders did not earn profit from another popular variety called Fazli,” he added. Mr Mishra also disclosed that not only the Bangladeshi importers but also the traders in Assam and other states are receiving mangoes from us but they are delaying the payment and till date the payment is pending owing to lack of demand of our production like ‘hot cake’. “Without big processing units in this district the mango farmers will not be able to earn more profit from this sector,” he said adding that the local entrepreneurs are not in a position to invest at least Rs 3 crore for setting up a processing unit which can manufacture mango by-products.” Recently, a team of exporters held a meeting with the mango farmers in association with Khadi Board here and had proposed them to produce mango by-products with pouch packaging system (considering present pouch culture) for foreign markets but no body came forward to take the venture though they ensured them to take responsibility for its marketing. On the other hand, the mango traders are facing great marketing problems for using unscientific chemical fertilizers. Though the district horticulture department is trying hard to train farmers for adopting method of using bio fertilizers, only 15 per cent farmers are experimenting the method, the Mango Merchants Association said. “The cost is high applying bio fertilizers in mango orchards. A small farmer will not be benefited if the neighbouring farmers do not apply bio products.A Farmer will be interested to use only bio products when there will be a separate market for bio produced mango,” the farmers claimed.