How mangoes were protected in small freezers

The name is 'Mini Cold Storage'. Capacity 10 tons. Mango grower Shafiqul Islam of Baghar in Rajshahi kept 9 tons of mangoes in it. In this, unrest started in the country. Mango could not be sold. After 17 days, mangoes were taken out of the freezer last Wednesday and it was found that there was no spot on even one mango. That mango is now being sold at a good price.

Shafiqul Islam's house is in Kaligram of Bagha Upazila of Rajshahi. Shafiqul Islam and his brother Asaf Ud Daula have a company named 'Sadi Enterprise' in Pakuria Bazaar of Upazila. They are the big mango producing farmers of Bagha Upazila.

Department of Agriculture Extension has set up this mini cold storage on Shafiqul Islam's land under a project. Shafiqul Islam stored 9 tons of Amrapali, Lockna, Fazli, Arajam varieties of mangoes in this cold store for the first time from July 6. Before launching the project, it was said that mangoes can be stored in this cold store for 20 to 25 days in case of any disaster.

Last Wednesday, going to Pakuria market of Bagha upazila, it was seen that the mangoes kept in the freezer were being taken out and sent to Dhaka. The mangoes are just as they were placed. At that time, Asaf Ud Daula said, usually when mangoes are stored in the refrigerator, the upper peel is collected. But it didn't happen in the freezer.

Meanwhile, a packaging house has been built next to this small cold storage under the project. The packaging house checks the shelf life of the mangoes taken out of the freezer. Shafiqul Islam's mangoes kept in cold storage have been kept in this packaging house for the last 10 days after being taken out of the cold storage. But so far no mango has been wasted.

The project officials said that the packaging house has been constructed from the exportable mango production project. Saadi Enterprises has been exporting mangoes since 2015. So far the company has exported more than 200 tons of mangoes to Europe. Four tons of mangoes have been exported this year.

Bagha Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiullah Sultan said, Sadi Enterprise is a big mango producer and exporter in Rajshahi. The Department of Agricultural Extension has constructed this cold storage facility on their land to facilitate export.

In this regard, sub-project director of the cold storage project SM Aminuzzaman told Prothom Alo that 11 mini cold storages or small cold storages have been constructed in Rajshahi division. Among them, three including the Baghar Himagara have been put into use. Apart from this, 2 tons of mangoes, 1 ton of mangosteen and 13 tons of sugarcane molasses have been stored in another cold store in Shivganj of Chapainawabganj. And carrots and tomatoes are kept in Puthia's freezer.

MM Aminuzzaman said that mangoes or other vegetables can be safely stored in these freezers for 20 to 25 days. About 27 lakh rupees have been spent on the construction of each cold store. The farmer gave the land.