(BSS) - The mango fruit formation process is progressing smoothly due to relatively favourable weather conditions now following recent rainfalls after a short-term drought situation in Rangpur agricultural region.

Therefore, farmers and Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials are expecting a bumper mango harvest this season.

The DAE officials said that the process of tender fruit formation in orchards and homestead trees is progressing well due to recent rainfall across the region.

Mango growers have engaged their highest efforts in nursing the growing tender fruits in trees in all five districts of Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari in the region.

Talking to BSS, farmer Azizar Rahman of village Sangkarpur Mistripara of Badarganj upazila in Rangpur said tender mangoes are growing fabulously in his orchard on six acres of land where he has been cultivating the fruit for the last 18 years.

"Farmers in our area have mostly cultivated high yielding varieties of mangoes like `Haribhanga`, `Gopalbhog`, `Amrapali`, `Mohanbhog`, `Lengra`, `Gourmoti`, BARI-4, `Chandramollika`, `Lakhna`, `Khirshapati` and other varieties this season," he said, hoping to get a bumper mango yield this time.

Mango grower Mukul Shah of village Chand Kuthirdanga in Badarganj upazila said he has been cultivating the highly tasty, fibreless and indigenous variety of `Haribhanga` mango in his orchards on 15 acres of land for the last 20 years.

"As tender fruits are growing outstandingly in the trees in my orchard amid favorable climatic conditions, I am hopeful to get a bumper harvest this season," he said.

Farmer Abdul Halim of Rangatipara village in Mithapukur upazila said he has been cultivating highly profitable `Hatibandha` mango in his orchard on 11 acres of land for the last 18 years.

"I hope to earn a better profit after selling the matured mangoes in May and June next," Halim added.

Deputy Director at the DAE`s Rangpur regional office Agriculturist Md. Afzal Hossain said around 98 percent of mango trees bloomed this season, which is counted as an on-season, in the region.

"Farmers produced 84,874 tonnes of mangoes by cultivating the fruits in 6,189 hectares of land during the last season in the region," Afzal Hossain said, adding that the mango cultivated land area a little more this season.

Of them, farmers produced 38,508 tonnes of the highly tasty, popular, fibreless and local indigenous variety `Haribhanga` mango from their orchards in 2,556 hectares of land in the region last season.

"During the last season, farmers produced 29,772 tonnes of `Haribhanga` mango from orchards in 1,910 hectares of land in Rangpur district alone," he said.

"Field-level agriculture officials are assisting farmers to take proper care of the growing tender mangoes and control pests` attacks, if any, during this fruit formation period for better production," Afzal Hossain added.

Deputy Director of the Burirhat Horticulture Center of the DAE in Rangpur Dr. Md. Abu Sayem also predicted a bumper mango production this season.

"If the climatic conditions, temperature fluctuations, and insect attacks remain within tolerable limits over the next few months, mango production will be smooth and there will be bumper yields," he expressed hope.