Bumper production of the juiciest, tasty and fleshy fruit of litchi is likely this season following excellent flowering amid favourable climatic condition so far in the northern districts, officials and experts said today.The adequately favorable climatic conditions with the advent of the spring following departure of the winter resulted in massive litchi blooming and the sunny weather has been helping better flowering so far everywhere in the region.According to sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), over 85 percent of litchi trees in about 8,800 small, medium and big-sized litchi orchards and homesteads have already bloomed massively as the process still continues.Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam and Agronomist Anarul Haque said commercial litchi cultivation has become popular as hundreds of farmers have achieved self-reliance through farming the fruits in recent years.The farmers and commoners have mostly been cultivating high yielding varieties like China-3 and Bedana and early varieties like Bombay and Madrazi litchi on more lands every year following repeated bumper productions and lucrative prices.Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam suggested the farmers to spray 80 percent Sulpher on litchi tress if mite attack is found following rise in temperature during fruit formation stage after budding for getting better production.
Besides, he suggested for spraying ‘Mentozeb’ or ‘Propikonazole’ as per recommended dose to prevent powdery nose mildew or anthrax those might attack the young leaves or blooming flower twigs or buds following rise in temperature amid cloudy sky.While visiting the 1.56 acre litchi orchard of Principal Atiar Rahman in village Damodarpur near Baro Maidan under Sadar upazila here on Thursday, this Reporter observed excellent flowering in all 300 litchi trees there.Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said the massive spouting predicts bumper litchi production this season in the northern region if the climatic condition remains favourable till June next.Noted agri-scientist and Associate Director (Agriculture) of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr M A Mazid said commercial basis litchi farming expands bringing fortunes to the farmers for repeated bumper production and excellent market price.Deputy Director (DD) of the DAE Feroz Ahmed said the farmers and common people have set up litchi orchards for commercial farming in Dinajpur, Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and other districts in recent years.Litchi growers Erfan Ali, Sukumar Roy, Sekendar Ali, Abdul Hye, Kafil Uddin, Abdus Samad, Mosaddek Hossain and Sachindra Nath said they have been earning excellent profits every year through commercial litchi cultivation in recent years.Acting Regional Additional Director of DAE Abdul Jalil expressed his satisfaction over massive sprouting in litchi trees both in the orchards and homesteads and expected a bumper production of the fruit following favourable climatic condition this season so far. -BSS, Rangpur
