In 2019, Hlashimong Chowdhury planted 120 saplings of Japan’s Miyazaki mango on his 60-decimal plot of land in the Dhumnighat area of Mahalchhari upazila, Khagrachhari.
Today, Hlashimong's farm boasts around 400 trees, which yielded approximately 2,000 kilogrammes of fruit this year.
Priced between Tk600-1,000 per kg, Hlashimong earned around Tk16 lakh selling his produce.
Hlashimong is not alone who made a good profit from Miyazaki mangoes. Across the hill tracts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban, a total of 67 farm owners have rallied on this venture.
“These farmers collectively produced about 100 metric tonnes of Miyazaki mangoes in the current year,” Tapan Kumar Paul, deputy director of the Directorate of Agricultural Extension in Rangamati district, told Bangladesh First.
“To be specific, 37 farmers in Bandarban produced 79 metric tonnes of the mango in 9 hectors, five farmers in Rangamati harvested 17 metric tonnes in two hectors, and 25 farmers in Khagrachhari yielded 2.2 metric tonnes in 0.15 hectors,” he added.
Originating from Japan's Miyazaki region, these mangoes, known as “Taiyo No Tamago” in Japanese, which means “Egg of the Sun”, gained global acclaim particularly after a pair fetched 500,000 Japanese Yen ($4,547) at an auction of Fukuoka in 2016.
Typically grown in greenhouses, the growing demand for Miyazaki mangoes has fuelled its prices ranging from $800-900 per kg in the international market.
Recognising the potential for high earnings through export, Bangladeshi farmers are eager to produce Miyazaki mangoes of comparable quality to those in Japan.
The Agriculture Ministry has extended support by offering technical assistance in areas such as bagging, weed management, irrigation, fertiliser application, and grafting, said Tapan Kumar Paul.
However, farmers and nursery owners believe that more substantial government support is needed to boost production and enable international marketing.
Govt initiative needed to boost production and marketing
About the marketing of the mangoes, Hlashimong said "I have some permanent customers who buy the mangoes every year. Retail sellers and super shops also procure from me. The mango is priced between Tk600-1,000 per kg.”
But, the price is high in Bangladesh’s economic context, he said, further adding government support for exporting these mangoes could fetch higher prices in the international market.
The cultivation process in Bangladesh, however, differs significantly from that in Japan, where Miyazaki mangoes are grown with meticulous care.
Hlashimong emphasised the need for government-organised training and inspection programmes to help advanced farmers replicate Japan's harvesting techniques.
"If we can cultivate Miyazaki mangoes with the same quality as in Japan, we could enable exports to the international market," he said.
Currently, local farmers rely on internet resources, which Hlashimong finds insufficient for mastering the sophisticated cultivation process.
Farmers said if the production boosts in the country then the price of the mango may decrease. So, they urged the government to take steps to patronise exporting the mango.
Photo: BFirst
The demand for Miyazaki plants has also surged.
Mohamilon Nursery based in Sirajganj sold around 1,000 plants this year, priced between Tk150-500 depending on size.
Owner of the nursery said that interest is growing among hobbyists and commercial growers.
Tapan Kumar Paul echoed these sentiments and said interest among farmers is growing but there is a shortage of plants hindering large-scale cultivation efforts.
He emphasised the necessity for further research and development to optimise Miyazaki mango production in Bangladesh.
Is it possible to cultivate same quality of Miyazaki mangoes here as Japan?
Professor Mihir Lal Shaha, chairman of the Department of Botany at Dhaka University, shared insights with Bangladesh First on the feasibility of achieving comparable quality in Bangladesh.
Drawing parallels between environmental conditions in Japan's Miyazaki region and Bangladesh's hilly districts, Mihir Lal Shaha expressed optimism about the potential to produce high-quality Miyazaki mangoes through meticulous cultivation practices and grafting techniques.
"The taste and nutritional value of a fruit primarily depend on soil quality and other environmental factors," Professor Mihir Lal said.
"The same plant can have different flavours and nutritional profiles depending on its environment. If Miyazaki trees are grafted from Japan and brought to Bangladesh, and then cultivated in our hilly areas, there's a high possibility of producing fruits of nearly the same quality," he explained.
However, the researcher cautioned against using seeds to grow Miyazaki mangoes in Bangladesh.
"Due to cross-pollination, saplings produced from seeds may not yield the same results. Pollination with pollen from different mango species can alter the taste. Therefore, grafting is essential. Additionally, strict quarantine measures must be observed before importing seedlings from Japan to prevent the spread of diseases," he added.
The demand for mangoes has increased in Japan, where consumers typically purchase individual mangoes rather than by weight.
"In Japan, even watermelon is sold in pieces because people don’t consume a whole watermelon at once. Similarly, they buy mangoes individually because of their smaller size and premium quality," Mihir Lal Shaha said.
Given these insights, the professor advocates for government support to commercialise Miyazaki mango cultivation in Bangladesh.
"The government should consider providing incentives to encourage this initiative. Given the high demand and the potential for producing near-quality Miyazaki mangoes in our country, this could be a lucrative venture," he concluded.