(BSS) - Mango intercropping not only increases overall crop production per unit area but also improves soil health and fertility.

The farmers in the region intercrop mango trees with various cereal crops, vegetables, and spices, as the practice also provides additional income and job opportunities for farmers.

Sources concerned unanimously viewed mango intercropping as a popular and economically beneficial agricultural practice in Rajshahi, predominantly in the vast Barind tract.

Mango mixed farming involves cultivating mangoes alongside other crops, primarily for additional income and efficient land use.

This practice, particularly intercropping with paddy, is gaining popularity in the region of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Nawgaon districts. Farmers are also adopting the Ultra High Density Mango Planting (UHDMP) method for increased yields and income.

"I have an eight-bigha intercropping mango orchard. I am getting additional income from farming," said Mosharraf Hossain, a farmer of Bagha Upazila in the district.

In a sense, the inter-cropping has brought a new dimension in the mango farming sector along with its production and marketing, he added.
Shahinul Islam, 45, a farmer of Jhaluka village under Durgapur Upazila, said he cultivated five types of crops, vegetables and fruits on a bigha of land. Inside the mango orchard he cultivated papaya, chilli, ginger and lemon.

Another farmer Shariful, 58, of the same village had planted banana, papaya, ginger, arum, leaf vegetable (Data) and Puisak on the same land and all grew well. He opined that many farmers are benefiting from adopting the inter-cropping method.

Durgapur Upazila Agriculture Officer Shahana Parveen informed that the soil of Durgapur is very fertile and the farmers grow three to four crops from the same land a year.

Talking to BSS, Dr Alim Uddin, a former Chief Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Station, said the farmers intercropped mangoes on around 35,000 hectares of land in the region.

Many farmers are keen to intercrop the mangoes with other cereal crops especially paddy in the region, he said.

To make more money, the farmers are seen taking intercropping methods in cultivating paddy, onion, garlic, brinjal, mustard, turmeric and papaya with mangoes, Dr Alim added.

Dr. Alim said intercropping with sugarcane is more beneficial to farmers as it can boost total production per unit area while ensuring sustainable mango cultivation.

The mango researcher said systematic intercropping of paddy, onion, lentil, mung bean, garlic and some other winter crops, vegetables and spices increases mango yield normally.

Monzurul Huda, former director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said the farmers have faced trouble in depending on only paddy cultivation for the last couple of years due to the adverse impact of climate change.

To get more income and to recoup the losses, they are cultivating paddy, onion, garlic, brinjal, mustard, turmeric and papaya with mango as intercropping. By dint of excellent output, the farmers created new mango orchards in the new method.

Due to its suitability, profitability and the promotion of high-yielding varieties, mango has emerged as a reliable cash crop in areas where traditional farming once struggled due to poor soil and water scarcity.

Monzurul Huda said the soil of the Barind tract is naturally red and undulating, resembling uneven terrain, which once posed challenges for farmers.

Only rice could be cultivated around 15-20 years ago. But at present, the previous scenario has been changed.

Dr Shafiqul Islam, Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Station, told BSS that farmers have brought around 35,000 hectares of land under the intercropping method in the region and the practice is rising continuously.

The mango farming sector has been contributing a lot to the region`s economy as the processed foods from the seasonal fruit are in enormous demand, apart from their high market value.

He said various processed food items particularly juice, soft drinks, pickles, jams and jellies are being manufactured through the processing of mangoes.

He said every year new mango orchards especially of Amrapali, BARI mango-3 and BARI mango-4 varieties are rapidly increasing in the region.

Mango is a perishable item. So, it needs immediate consumption or processing for its value addition.

Besides, various natural calamities like storms, hailstorms, gusty winds, tornadoes and droughts cause a significant portion of the produced mangoes to fall from the trees.

However, the modern processing plant can make the fallen mangoes valuable food items and protect them from damage.