Rangpur, April 8 -- Excessive use of pesticides and hormones in mango cultivation in Rangpur is raising serious health concerns for farmers and undermining fruit quality, posing a potential threat to the region's export prospects.

As mango orchards across Rangpur bear newly formed fruits following the blooming season, growers and traders are already weighing expected gains.

But in a push for higher yields, many farmers are increasingly relying on frequent chemical spraying and hormone use - the practice now drawing growing concern.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), mangoes, including the popular Haribhanga variety, were cultivated on 6,049.5 hectares of land in the district in the 2024-25 fiscal year, produci...