Excellent growth of the tender litchi in orchards amid favorable
climatic condition predicts bumper production of the fruit this season
in the northern districts, officials, experts and farmers said.A silent revolution has taken place in litchi farming as hundreds of
farmers have achieved self-reliance through farming of the most
delicious, juicy and fleshy seasonal fruit in recent years everywhere
in northern Bangladesh.
The farmers have engaged all-out efforts now in nursing the litchi
trees in the orchards when formation of the tender fruits continues
superbly after recent rainfalls as the harvest will begin from the
next month.
Meanwhile, the bigger litchi traders or their representatives form
different parts of the country have started flocking to the area and
bargaining with orchard owners to purchase the fruit in advance like
in the previous seasons.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources,
the enthusiastic farmers have been expanding cultivation of high
yielding and hybrid varieties litchi every year following repeated
bumper production and excellent market price.
“Litchi farming gains popularity consistently everywhere in the region
now though quality litchis were being produced mainly in the Barind
areas and Dinajpur in the past,” Horticulture Specialist of the DAE
Khondker M Mesbahul Islam.
Presently, hundreds of litchi orchards have been set up and the
commoners are cultivating the fruit in homesteads on commercial basis
in Dinajpur, Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon,
Panchagarh and all other northern districts.
According to the DAE sources, over 90 per cent of nearly 72 million
litchi trees in about 9,000 small, medium and big-sized litchi
orchards and homesteads have worn eye-catching looks with growing
tender litchis after massive budding this season.
Agronomist Anarul Haque said farmers have cultivated mostly high
yielding variety China-3 and Bedana and early varieties like Bombay
and Madrazi litchi on more lands after getting repeated bumper
productions and lucrative prices in recent years.
Talking to BSS on his 1.56 acre litchi orchard in village Damodarpur
here today, farmer Atiar Rahman said he is expecting bumper production
of the fruit after excellent flowering in all 204 litchi trees there
this season.
Associate Director (Agriculture) of BRAC International (South Asia and
Africa) Dr MA Mazid said commercial litchi farming expands faster
bringing fortunes to hundreds of farmers for repeated bumper
production and excellent market price in recent years.
(BSS, Rangpur)
