Top 5 Bangladeshi summer fruits: How many have you had this year?

Being a tropical country, Bangladesh produces a lot of summer fruits. In fact, despite the scorching heat and other cons of the season, many of us look forward to summer solely for the fruity deliciousness it brings along.

Here are the top five summer fruits of Bangladesh

Mango, the King

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One of the best things about Bangladeshi summer, mango is also among the best fruits in the world.

Mangoes are widely-produced, especially in Rajshahi and Chapainawbganj districts, and are loved all over Bangladesh.

Wide ranges of mango varieties are available from May to September in the country and each variety has its own fan base. Bangladeshi summers are overwhelmingly about Gopalbhog, Fazli, Lyangra, Amrapali and other variations of mango.

In 2019-20, Bangladesh produced 12.22 lakh tonnes of mangoes. We also export this "King of fruits" to several countries, including Singapore and the UK. Bangladesh is globally seventh in mango production.

Along with being fibrous and rich in vitamin C, mango also contains copper, potassium and magnesium in abundance.

Jackfruit, love it or hate it

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Jackfruit has the honour of being the national fruit of Bangladesh. Our climate is perfect for its production. It is inexpensive and available in almost all parts of the country.

This is one of the reasons why it is the national fruit of Bangladesh. Besides, its nutritional values are too many too count and one fruit can feed an entire family.

Jackfruit contains generous amounts of fibre, protein, vitamin A, C and many minerals.

Jackfruit is also a very popular Bangladeshi summer delight. However, unlike mango, it has a polarising image.

You either love jackfruit, or you hate it. There's really no middle ground.

Lychee, the short-lived star

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Lychee is another widely loved summer fruit of Bangladesh. It will probably come second in popularity after mango. However, the time period of the availability of this uber popular fruit is fleeting, which makes it all the more precious.

Lychee season is usually only 45 days long in Bangladesh which sometimes is cut shorter due to unfavourable weather. Lychee is grown across all 64 districts of the country. However, only 26 of them are engaged in commercial production. Among them, the best lychees are grown in Dinajpur.

Lychees contain high amounts of calorie, sugar, fibre and fat.

Jaam, the exotic one

Photo: Collected

This unique fruit is widely available in Bangladesh but is not very well known around the world. Along with Bangladesh, India and some other countries in South Asia, "Jaam" or Java plums grow in few other tropical countries like Thailand, Philippines and Madagascar.

Jaam has an unusual, exotic taste. When they are ripe, this fruit has a hint of sweetness in sourness. Its preparation with salt and chili is widely popular, especially among children.

Java plum or "jaam" contains calcium and energy in appreciable amounts.

Watermelon, the cool factor

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Although watermelon is available in many countries other than Bangladesh, our native produce has a unique and delightful taste.

Bangladeshis count it as a blessing in blistering heat, as it is rich in fluids and can keep the body cool.

In fiscal 2019-20, around 27,000 acres of Bangladeshi land was used to produce 188,000 tonnes of watermelon, according to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

Watermelon contains vitamin A and C along with low fat and high calorie.