This Fruit, Grown In Bengal's Malda, Resembles Banana But Tastes Like Mango

A mango farmer named Deepak Rajvanshi from Malda, West Bengal is in the headlines after he has managed to cultivate a mango that resembles a banana. According to Local 18 Bengal, Deepak had planted a few seedlings of this plant in his garden on an experimental basis. These seedlings eventually grew into a mango plant that has been named the Banana Mango, due to its appearance.

This fruit is even more like a banana when ripened but tastes like mango. Banana Mango ripens very late and is sold in the market at the rate of 100 to 150 taka per kg. Deepak Rajvanshi, who cultivated this mango variety said, that this fruit is originally grown in Thailand. According to him, this is extremely delicious to eat. Deepak is interested in pursuing commercial farming (a farming method in which plant and livestock production is practised to sell the products on the market).

A special feature of this mango variety is that it starts ripening just when the indigenous species of mangoes are out of the season. The commercial cultivation of this mango variety is yet to start in West Bengal.

How did the Banana Mango manage to be cultivated in Malda when its commercial cultivation is yet to start in the rest of Bengal? Deepak said that the soil in Malda is good for mango cultivation and that’s why the mango variety of Thailand is being cultivated here. According to the Malda farmer, all three trees in his garden have started bearing mangoes.

Deepak added that he had planted the banana mango seedlings 3 years ago and this year, all three trees have produced mangoes. The Malda farmer said that the yield of the Banana Mango species is high because the bud of this species is much longer in comparison to other mangoes. Deepak further said that the produce of a fruit in this variety is very high whereas its pulp is thin. According to the Malda farmer, the mango weighs about 300 grams but has zero fibre inside.

Also, there is an added advantage of growing the banana mango in the Malda soil because it helps in increasing its sweetness quotient. Farmers can benefit more by cultivating this mango variety along with other native mangoes.