Narsingdi lotkon (Burmese grape)

The story

Lotkon is one of the odd delights of the Bangladeshi rainy season. The tree bears its fruit in long hanging strings straight from the trunk and the main branches, so a laden tree looks as though it has been draped in yellow beads. Each fruit is about the size of a large marble, with a thin, soft skin that splits with a gentle squeeze to reveal three to five translucent, juicy segments. The taste runs from tangy to quite sweet, and in many homes lotkon is eaten as it is or tossed with salt and chilli.

Narsingdi has become known as the land of lotkon. The reddish, well-drained soil of the higher ground in Shibpur, Belabo, Raipura and Monohardi upazilas suits the tree, which grows well on land that is too high and dry for paddy. Over the past couple of decades many farmers there have turned whole plots into lotkon orchards with encouragement from the Department of Agricultural Extension, finding it more profitable than many other local fruits. The fruit now goes to markets across the country, and some has been exported to the Middle East and Europe.

The Narsingdi district administration applied for a GI in August 2023, and "Narsingdi's lotkon" was among the products handed GI certificates by the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks at a ceremony in Dhaka on 30 April 2025, where the Narsingdi deputy commissioner received it. Some earlier reports described the GI as already granted, but the certificate itself dates from 2025.

How to spot the real Narsingdi lotkon (Burmese grape)

Ripe Narsingdi lotkon has a clear golden or light yellow skin that may carry a few natural brown speckles, and a fruit that is plump and evenly coloured. Narsingdi growers claim larger fruit and better sweetness than lotkon from other places, and good fruit should have fat, juicy segments rather than thin, watery ones. Greenish skin usually means the fruit was picked early and will be sharply sour. Very soft, wrinkled or blackened fruit, or a fermented smell, means it is old. Since lotkon is also grown in other districts, a seller should be able to tell you the upazila and village it came from if you are paying for Narsingdi origin.

Buying tips

Buy in the heart of the season, roughly from June to the end of July, when supply is high and quality steady. Lotkon is sold by the kilogram or by the bunch; price depends on fruit size, how fully ripe it is, how carefully it is sorted and how far it has to travel. Bunches still attached to their stalks tend to travel better than loose fruit.

Midmart is a marketplace where each shop deals with its own buyers: the shop sets its own delivery charge, and you agree payment and shipping directly with the seller, because Midmart never takes payment or sends parcels itself. Ordering lotkon from one shop and other fruit from another means two deliveries and two charges. Ask the seller when the fruit was picked, how it will be packed (a ventilated box or basket is better than a sealed bag) and how many days the courier needs to reach you.

Keeping it fresh

Spread lotkon out on arrival rather than leaving it in a heap. It keeps for two or three days in a cool room and several more in the fridge, though the skin may darken; check the segments, which stay good longer than the skin suggests. Wash just before eating. Very ripe lotkon can be turned into a quick chutney or a sweet-sour drink.

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