Rajshahi's mango scarcity processing plants for value-added
For long, Rajshahi is nationwide famous, especially for its tasty and delicious fruit mango that attracts people from all over the country every summer.
Every year, acreage, number of trees and mango production is mounting. However, unfortunately, not a single mango-processing plant has been established here since 44 years of country's independence, which is hindering expansion of mango market volume.
Officials of Department of Agriculture Extension said around 1,132 hectares of mango acreage, 3,27,197 trees and 7,538 metric tons yield were enhanced in the last five years in the district.
Quoting the office records they said there were 6,79,684 trees that yielded 1,02,950 metric tons of mango in 2007-08 harvesting season. Per hectare yield was 13.1 tonnes.
Whereas, in the previous 2014-15 season, the growers harvested around 1,10,488 tonnes from 10,06,881 trees in 8,986 hectares of land and per hectare yield was 12.29 tonnes.
Some varieties like Gopalbhog, Langra, Himsagar, Ranipasand, Fazli and Aswina are very much tasty and mouthwatering among around 100 others.
Mango grows almost everywhere in the district but Paba, Charghat and Bagha have long-lasting tradition of quality mango production.
Regarding the ongoing mango production Dr Alim Uddin, Principal Scientific Officer of Regional Fruit Research Centre, said the current year is on-year for mango production meaning more yield has come compared to the previous season.
As the growers are reaping bulks of money from the mango farming, it is encouraging many others towards farming mango resulting in escalation of acreage.
He said target has been set to produce around 1.10 lakh tons this year. "Although, we are yielding huge mango every year no significant mango processing plants has been set up here as yet," he said.
Various processed food-items particularly juice, soft drink, pickles, jam and jelly can be manufactured through processing of mango. If it's possible, this sector can contribute a lot to the region's economy as the processed foods have enormous demands besides high market values.
Mango is a perishable item. So, it needs immediate consumption or processing for its value addition. Besides, various natural calamities like storm, hailstorm, gusty wind, tornado and drought caused dropping out significant portion of produced mango.
But, the modern processing plant can make the dropped out green mango valued foods besides protecting those from getting damaged.
Meanwhile, construction work of two modern fruit- processing factories are progressing fast in the region with an ultimate goal of adding value to the agricultural products especially mango, tomato and potato.
A plant named Hashem Agro-processing Industry is being built on 40 bighas of land at Rishikul under Godagari upazila of the district with the initiative of Sazib Corporation setting target to manufacture mango pulp in the coming mango season. Another factory has been built by Vegan Group on 50 bighas of land at Rohanpur under Chapainawabgonj district, where a pulping plant was also established.
With this venture, cold storage for both mango and tomato was built for the first time in the two districts.
In addition to pulp preservation, the factories will preserve mango, tomato and potato in small-scale.
Sohel Rana, Plant Manager of Hashem Agro-processing Industry, told BSS that the plant is processing 30,000 tons of mango and 20,000 tons of tomato every year for producing pulp with an ultimate goal of manufacturing mango-juice and tomato- sauce.
"We will establish cold storage assembling modern machineries for the pulp preservation," Sohel Rana said.
He added that the plant has provision for preservation of adequate mango, tomato and potato after segregating the quality ones with modern automatic machine.
He said around 500 people got job in the factory directly, which will benefit another around one lakh people indirectly.
User Comments:
- First T-20 match without shakib and tamim india loss
- At the age of 85, goodbye to cricket
- Shakib Ranking position change
- Bangladesh ended the first day of the unbeaten century
- Saif Hassan disappointed the chosen in the first roles
- Proteas defeats the Lankan in 2nd ODI
- IDB expresses concern over changes in Islami Bank
- 20 potential ECS names nominated
- Could not believe that Sunny Leone wanted him in 'Laila Main Laila' Shah Rukh Khan
- India beat England in the 1st T20 match
- Look your best on Valentine's Day
- Priyanka said that India will always be identified
- Global banking rules agreement 'once the dust settles in the United States
- May trumpet as host of the first foreign leader
- Do not interfere in the Bangladesh case, Qadir says foreign
- Turkey's ambassador to Dhaka
- 'Ice Age: New trailer collision: the threat of global asteroids
- Bale hits real winner
- Woman found dead in a city hotel
- Withdrawal of unemployed nurses strike
- Tangail filed on Hindu murder case
- Foreign Minister meets King Abdullah Foundation trip in Saudi Arabia, Prince Turkey
- Hasina praised Bangladesh bowling sensation Mustafizur
- Rains in Sylhet, the heat wave plays extra time in the rest of Bangladesh
- BNP chief Khaleda sees more danger than ever before in Bangladesh
- I do not want it, I want to win: Dunga
- Asks the Bangladesh government to take a strong position against killer:Denmark
- My mom is not here to meet Neetu Kapoor, Katrina Kaif clear
- ICC World T20: England Qualify For Final
- Tonu murder sad every part of the army, says ISPR
- ADB Bangladesh sees FY GDP growing at 6.7% in 2015-16
- Court orders arrest of Khaleda's deadly bus firebombing in Dhaka
- Standard Chartered cards stop working due to a down server
- Corruption can progress obstruction of a country: President
- The uncertainty of the cloud cleared, Hero 420, released Friday
- To suggest pollution to protect your skin
- Trouble in Parliament to answer questions on the delay Interior Minister
- Hasina urges teachers to promote sports
- 5D can record human history!
- I'm still a child, says Kareena
- Saudi, Russia agreed oil production freeze
- Twenty20 World Cup announced
- The death of former chief Boutros-ghali UN
- Arrest warrant issued against Daily Star editor
- Per capita income of Bangladesh 2014-15, increasing to $ 1.316 in fiscal year
- Khaleda Zia subcommittees for BNP
- BSMMU Abdul Hannan appointed new Register
- Citizens can update fingerprints for the ceremony at the office
- Executes N Korea army chief
- Twenty20 Women World Cup team announced
- Star Journo concern over the threat to the leader, its editor
- US 'Intel warning of the details of the terrorist group in Bangladesh
- To be tried Padma bridge 'conspirators': Prime Minister
- Road crashes: High Court order on all hospital emergency service
- muslin and fund research: analyst
- Chief Justice appeal eats division into three judges
- Keraniganj prime murder suspect killed in shootout school Abdullah: RAB
- Bangladesh lost a High Court for staff accommodation
- ICT sentence Taher, Noni Netrokona death
- Ghazipur knife 2 DB
- French minister at the UN sends carbon pricing
- '' Now it Rabby no bar
- Khulna JCD President Kamran held
- Police want Bank Medical College
- Fakhrul went to Singapore for treatment
- Apple warns iPhone sales to fall
- Kristen Stewart speaks up on gender inequality
- China to increase JVs in Bangladesh
- Konta 33-year British drought to break beats Zhang
- India waives visa fees Bangladesh
- Patient's death: 2 CTG doctors get bail
- Specialised police to combat terrorism: PM
- The school forced students to buy additional books
- Romance to change you as a person does
- AL betrayed the spirit of liberation war: khalida
- World Cup 2015: Dhoni's men will be wary of Bangladesh
- An eve teasing incident scarred my life
- Man allegedly kill wife
- 44 years later widows receive justice: sajib wazed joy
- Employee bonuses decline at Cognizant
- Happy loses Lawyer
- Shamsul Hoque Khan School top....... in Dhaka broad
- BNP leader Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pinto dies
- Proteas defeats the Lankan in 2nd ODI
- Dr. Yunus...................Three Zero Theory
- Turkey's ambassador to Dhaka
- 20 potential ECS names nominated
- Mashrafe-Rubel broke the English lineup
- Think different! Try sex in storeroom
- Khaleda Zia subcommittees for BNP
- IDB expresses concern over changes in Islami Bank
- High Court says : Why not second time in DU
- Woman found dead in a city hotel
- Kim Kardashian to strip nude again
- Tangail filed on Hindu murder case
- Refused bail petition of ..... Ruhul Kabir Rizvi
- Could not believe that Sunny Leone wanted him in 'Laila Main Laila' Shah Rukh Khan
- Romance to change you as a person does
- Finance Minister AMA Muhith to place budget for seventh time... Budget
- Look your best on Valentine's Day