The Rajshahi district administration on Wednesday set May 4 (Thursday) to begin mango harvesting and marketing with the Guti variety this year.

The date for harvesting Gopalbhog has been fixed from May 15, Ranipasand and Laxmanbhog or Lakhna from May 20; Khirsapati or Himsagar from May 25; Lengra from June 6; Amrapali from June 10, Fazli from June 15, Ashwina and Ashwina-4 varieties from July 10 and Ilamati from August 20.

On the other hand, varieties of Katiman and Bari-11 can be harvested round the year.

A meeting headed by Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ahmed was held in this regard at the DC office on Wednesday.

The district administration released a brochure ‘Mango Calendar’ citing the harvesting time so that safe, chemical free and ripened mangos can be ensured in the markets.  

DC Shamim Ahmed said they fix dates every year to ensure ripened and safe mangos in the market.

“This year the date was also fixed on the basis of opinions from all the authorities concerned. Moreover, a certificate will have to be taken from Upazila Agricultural Officer to harvest and display mangos on the market once those are ripened earlier before the schedule,” he said.

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Mojdar Hossain, deputy director of the district’s Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), urged the mango growers to harvest in line with the calendar.

He also said that this year 1,050 more hectares of land were brought under the mango cultivation compared with last year’s 18, 528 hectares of land.

The DAE officer hoped that 2, 58,450 tonnes of mango will be produced once the target is achieved.

Additional DC (Development and Human Management) Anisul Islam and Additional Superintendent of Police Abu Saleh Md Ashraful Alam, among others, were present at the meeting.