By Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, July 23, 2025 (BSS) - In addition to traditional varieties like Gopalbhog, Langra, Himsagar, and Fazly, exotic varieties such as the "Catimon" (a Thai variety) are gaining attention due to their ability to produce mangoes year-round in the region, particularly in the vast Barind tract.

Farming of exotic mango varieties is indeed gaining popularity as the growers are increasingly adopting methods like Ultra High Density Mango Planting (UHDMP) and fruit bagging, leading to higher yields and the potential for increased income, including export opportunities. 

This method involves planting mango trees closer than traditional methods, allowing for more trees per unit of land.

Farmers have seen significant success with this approach, as it allows them to cultivate more trees and harvest more mangoes on the same land area. 

Sohel Rana, 45, an entrepreneur in Sapaher Upazila of Naogaon, has been cultivating eight exotic varieties, including banana mango, red palmer, miyazaki, chiangmai and kuejail, commercially side by side with the traditional ones for the last couple of years successfully.

In the current season, he's selling banana mango at Taka 5,000 to 12,000 per mound on average in the local markets.

Has a plan for expanding farming of exotic varieties in the years to come. 

Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Abul Kalam Azad said the exotic varieties are growing well side by side with the native varieties in the district.

"We are inspiring the farmers to cultivate the exotic mango varieties," he said, adding that the exotic varieties will be expanded here in the future.

'Catimon', a mango variety of Thailand, is giving mango round the year in Rajshahi breaking the existing record of around three and half months harvesting season from May to mid-August of the delicious fruit.

According to the sources concerned, the tree of exotic variety contains mango and flower or budding simultaneously giving yield three to four times in a year against the single one of the conventional varieties.

Rafiqul Islam, a farmer of Durgapur upazila in the district, has established an orchard of the non-conventional mango variety at Maria village under the same upazila inspiring many of his co-villagers to follow the path.

He collected 1,100 saplings of the variety at Taka 180 per piece from Dinajpur and transplanted those on 25 bigha of land on the pond embankment around two years back. Flowers started appearing in the subsequent year.

Talking to BSS, Rafique said the number of fruits was non-satisfactory due to less weight and height of trees last year. But he got three to five kilograms of yield from each of the trees on an average during the latest season. He's hoping to get mangoes four times this year.

Normally, mango harvesting and marketing took place from mid-May to mid-August in the region for immemorial times.

But there is an exception in terms of the Catimon variety which is still available in the local markets. The mangoes are being sold at Taka 8,000 per mound at present meaning that Taka 200 per kilogram. One kilogram of mangoes contains four to five mangoes.

Dr Shafiqul Islam, Principal Scientific Officer of Regional Fruit Research Station, said they are researching Thailand's variety to assess its extent of disease infestation.

However, the variety has already reached the farmers' level directly creating a new dimension in the field of mango farming.

With the passing of time many high yielding mangoes and modern technologies are coming and enriching the mango production sector gradually vibrating the region's economic sector.

Talking to BSS here, Dr Azizur Rahman, Additional Director of DAE, said the adoption of these varieties is not only boosting mango production but also contributing to the local economy by creating export opportunities and increasing farmers' incomes. 

Farmers are receiving training on various modern techniques, including UHDMP and fruit bagging, which helps them implement these methods effectively and explore higher-value markets.

Dr Rahman said mango farming through the UHDMP method has gained popularity as the growers are getting additional income after the best uses of the method in the region, including its vast Barind tract.

The fruit bagging technique involves covering mangoes with bags to protect them from pests like fruit flies and reduce the need for pesticides. This leads to higher quality mangoes that are more appealing to buyers, including those in export markets. 

Dr Azizur Rahman said mangoes were cultivated on 87,307 hectares of land with an expected production of around 10 lakh metric tonnes worth around Taka 10,000 crore in the region, consisting of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts this year.