Mango production in state hit by Cyclone Amphan

Kolkata: The mango production in the state has been affected by the severe cyclonic storm Amphan compelling the state government to fix a lesser export target this year. Last year the state Food Processing & Horticulture department had exported 8,500 metric tonnes of mango and as per assessment this year export will be at least 25 per cent less this year.

"The loss in production as well as the steep rise in air freight has made us revise our export target this year. The COVID pandemic has also made some countries impose restrictions in import. So export is expected to be 25 percent less in comparison to last year," said Subrata Gupta, Principal Secretary of Food Processing & Horticulture department. Mangoes from Bengal are exported to Europe, Middle East and Singapore via flights and to Bangladesh via land port. There are 400 varieties of mango that are cultivated in the state among which 10-15 types are commercially cultivated The two major varieties that are exported are Himsagar and Lakshmanbhog, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and Hooghly are the major mango producing states and the fruit is also grown in North 24 Parganas, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.Some quantities of Amrapali variety of mango grown in Bankura is also exported to the countries of Middle East ,Malaysia and Singapore.

The state was expected to produce 9.5 lakh metric tonnes of mango this year but the production would be around 7 lakh metric tonnes with Amphan affecting cultivation reasonably.

The districts where mango cultivation has been affected by the severe cyclone are Malda, Murshidabad, Hooghly, Nadia and North 24 Parganas.

A senior official of the Horticulture department said that they will procure 11 lakh saplings of high quality mango plant this year and will distribute it among farmers interested to take up large scale cultivation of the fruit. "The tender for procurement of the saplings have already been floated," the official added.