Farmers in Chapainawabganj allege that due to export related complications, negligence of district agriculture department and government patronage, mango export has come down to almost zero. Consequently, mango farmers and traders have been facing recurrent financial losses for several years.
Farmers have denounced contract farming saying that this system is risky, faulty and does not have any legal basis. In this system, traders strike deals with farmers as per their interest.
The common complaint is that the agriculture department is not taking any steps while the relevant departments are apathetic and careless.
Farmers allege that a yearly mango production target is never fixed and mangoes are bought in a hurry without any prior agreement about price, type and variety.
Mangoes from Chapainawabganj started to be exported in 2015 with two metric tonnes which went up to 104 in 2016. In 2018, it was 33 metric tonnes and this year, no one knows the amount to be exported.
One farmer laments: “I exported five metric tonnes in 2016 but could not send mangoes abroad in the following years due to irregularities and autocratic behavior of the agriculture department.”
Deputy director of the District Agriculture Department, Manzuru Huda, adds: “Export is sluggish since many are not aware of regulations plus mandatory requirements of international markets.”
Meanwhile, specialists say that from production to collection to packing and mango farm management, research is essential.
Exporting mangoes is not complex; this can be achieved with prior planning with relevant ministries and the foreign currency earning will be substantial, they observed.