LAXMIPUR, Feb 20: Everywhere in the district there is a sweet smell of mango blossoms. From towns to villages, the green blossoms have taken yellowish hue. Seeing the abundance of the blossoms, people are expecting a bumper production of mango this year.
While visiting Sadar, Raipur, Ramganj, and Kamalnagar upazilas, this correspondent found the abundance of the blossoms in each mango tree. Though there is a high hope, still people think there is a possibility of natural disasters which might damage the production.
People of the country are generally familiar with the mangoes of Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi, but this year they might have good mangoes from Laxmipur and its adjacent areas.
According to sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) here, "The weather condition of the district is favourable for mango production. The exact time for the appearance of the blossoms is from December till the first week of March. The main enemy of the blossoms is fog. But till now, the density of the fog is low, and there is sufficient sunshine; so there is a possibility of good fruition of the blossoms."
"Though some of the blossoms have been damaged, the total production will not be hampered. If some preventive measures are taken, this problem can be solved. During the appearance of the blossoms, the hopper pest and the anthracnose disease may attack the blossoms. With some preventive measures, these attacks can be withheld," the DAE sources added.
Ifat, Azad and some other people of Raipur Municipality said they planted more than hundred mango saplings of different varieties around their homesteads. In the meantime, the trees have been filled with the blossoms. The trees which are mostly small- and middle-sized, have appeared with more blossoms.
In the last year, due to foul weather, the mango production suffered blow. But, this year the trees are full with the blossoms. If there is no natural disaster, there would be bumper production of mango in the district this year.
Meanwhile, the DAE officials said this year the production of mango will cross the earlier records.