THE land coverage of mango orchards has declined in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj this year as farmers increasingly convert orchard land into fish ponds. This has raised concern about the change in land-use patterns in the traditional mango belt. Department of Agricultural Extension data show that mango orchard areas in Rajshahi fell by 541 hectares to 19,062 hectares in the 2026 financial year from 19,603 hectares in the 2025 financial year. The district now has around 37 lakh mango trees, of which about 60 per cent have flowered this season. In Chapainawabganj, widely regarded as the prime mango-producing district, orchard area declined marginally to 37,487 hectares from 37,504 hectares a year ago, with nearly 70 per cent of its 92.4 lakh trees blossoming. Officials and growers attribute the contraction largely to rapid aquaculture expansion, as farmers pursue quick and more predictable returns amid rising input costs, labour shortage, erratic weather, pest attacks and volatile prices. Bureau of Statistics data further indicate a broad shift: Rajshahi lost 16,159 hectares of net cropped area between 2015 and 2023 while inland water bodies expanded sharply, signalling a structural transformation in the region’s agricultural landscape.
The stark contraction of mango orchards in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj is part of a broader, deeper transformation of the regional agricultural landscape with potentially detrimental long-term consequences. Official data show that Rajshahi alone has lost 16,159 hectares of farming land between 2015 and 2023 while the number of fish ponds increased by nearly a quarter of what they were in a decade, reflecting a structural shift from crop-based agriculture to aquaculture driven by short-term economic incentives. Agricultural and soil scientists warn that indiscriminate excavation of ponds removes fertile topsoil and spreads infertile subsoil, leaving land functionally degraded and unsuitable for future cultivation even if aquaculture appears lucrative today. Moreover, unplanned pond networks disrupt natural drainage systems and, thus, exacerbate water stagnation in adjacent fields and damages standing crops, as witnessed during recent heavy rains when stagnant water flow severely affected paddy fields. This phenomenon echoes global research indicating that specialised land-use conversion can undermine long-term ecosystem services and soil health unless balanced with diversified agricultural practices. As for Rajshahi mango belt, the current trajectory risks eroding the region’s agricultural identity and food production capacity, leaving farmers dependent on a narrow, potentially unsustainable income model once aquaculture markets fluctuate or pond lands degrade further.
The situation demands urgent, region-specific land-use planning led by the Department of Agricultural Extension and local administrations to regulate indiscriminate pond excavation in the greater Rajshahi mango belt. Targeted incentives for orchard rehabilitation, crop insurance against climate shocks, cold-storage expansion and price stabilisation mechanisms are essential. Without calibrated intervention balancing aquaculture and horticulture, the region risks irreversible ecological changes and economic over-dependence on a single volatile sector.
