Online Desk : Harvesting of mangoes has started in Rajshahi city and its adjacent areas since Friday morning following the instruction of local administration amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Some indigenous varieties have appeared in the markets to meet the local demand in Rajshahi city.
A ban on mango harvesting and marketing had been imposed in the district till May 14 to give optimum time for natural ripening of the delicious seasonal fruit.
District administration had taken the decision to prevent adulteration in mango ripening process using harmful chemicals.
According to the administrative decision, the farmers can pluck local varieties from May 15 while harvest of Gopal Bhog mangoes will commence on May 20 and Laxmanbhog, Laukhna and Ranipasand varieties will start on May 25.
Shamsul Haque, Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), said most of the mangoes will become mature and ripen within the stipulated time and then those could be harvested normally.
He said some of the indigenous varieties of mangoes have already ripened. But the other delicious and famous varieties–Gopalbhog, Khirshapat and Langra need some more days to be ripened.
District administration is closely monitoring the harvesting of mangoes in addition to extending all necessary facilities to farmers and traders for harvesting and marketing of the seasonal fruits.
Deputy Commissioner Hamidul Huque urged all concerned to follow the time-frame of mango harvesting for the sake of public interests.
