RAJSHAHI, Feb 28, (V7N) - Rajshahi, known as the city of mangoes, is now filled with the sweet fragrance of mango buds as spring arrives. Farmers across the district are weaving golden dreams, hopeful for a bumper harvest this year. The sight of golden buds blooming among green leaves has raised optimism, with mango cultivation second only to rice in importance for the region’s farmers.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, mango cultivation has been targeted on 19,603 hectares of land in Rajshahi for the 2025–26 fiscal year, with an expected yield of 246,000 metric tons. Buds have already appeared abundantly in orchards of Bagha, Charghat, and Puthia upazilas. Farmers, following agricultural advice, are spraying pesticides to protect buds from hoppers and diseases. Mango grower Mozaffar Hossain of Charghat said, “If fog does not return, yields will exceed expectations.”

Dr. Shafiqul Islam, Chief Scientific Officer of the Rajshahi Fruit Research Center, noted that bud growth is stronger this year compared to last, though weather remains a crucial factor. Cultivation patterns have also shifted, with farmers increasingly adopting hybrid varieties such as Amrapali, Bari Mango-3, and Bari Mango-4 instead of traditional orchards.

While Chapainawabganj has historically led mango production, Naogaon has rapidly expanded its orchards, adding nearly 14,925 hectares in the past decade and surpassing Chapainawabganj in cultivation area. Experts believe that if adverse weather does not intervene, this year’s harvest will not only meet domestic demand but also boost exports abroad.

The golden buds of Rajshahi’s mango trees thus symbolize both nature’s poetry and farmers’ resilience, promising a season of abundance for North Bengal’s most celebrated fruit.

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