Tender litchi fruits show bumper yield possibility in Rajshahi

The litchi tresses here taken a greenery look with its huge tender fruits which made the farmers and businessmen very much optimistic about the possibility of bumper production of the mouth-watering seasonal fruit this season.

Litchi growers are passing very busy times in caring the trees as well as
the orchards as huge green tender litchis have grown in the region this year,
turning the tree branches into greenery fresh look.

Talking to BSS here today, Dr Alim Uddin, Principal Scientific Officer of
Fruit Research Station, said the local varieties of litchi will start
appearing in the markets within next couple of days. But, the Bombay variety
is expected to come to the markets by last week of this month.

He said many people are getting benefits by growing litchi as China-3
(hybrid), Bombay and Madras are the most popular varieties in the region.
Paba, Godagari, Charghat, Bagmara, Bagha, Puthia and Durgapur upazilas of the
district are well-known for producing good quality litchis.

Dr Alim mentioned that the region witnessed sufficient rain for the last
couple of days which saved the cash crop from scorching heat and sultry
weather.

Manzurul Haque, District Training Officer at Department of Agriculture
Extension (DAE), said favorable weather condition increased the hope of
bumper litchi production.

Although the region experienced hailstorms during the flowering period, but
it did not cause much harm, he said, adding that if the weather condition
remains favorable for the next one month, litchi cultivators of the district
would be benefitted greatly.

Abdur Razzaque of Kapasia village said all of his 30 litchi trees on one
bigha of land bloomed in abundance this year and there are a large number of
‘guti’ (young litchi) on the branches.

He said commercial litchi farming has started at Raipara, Bulanpur,
Chhotobongram and Katakhali areas of the city. Besides, litchi is also being
cultivated at Baghmara, Durgapur, Puthia, Paba and Godagari upazilas of the
district, he added.

Local farmers said they are taking great care of their litchi plants by
spraying medicines. Last year, many litchis were damaged due to storm and the
farmers incurred losses. But this year they are hoping to recover the losses.

There are more than one hundred litchi orchards in the region including its
Barind tract. Apart from this, high yielding China-3, Bombay and Madrazi
variety litchis are also being cultivated on homestead lands.

Additional Director of DAE Dev Dulal Dhali said many people became self-
reliant by cultivating litchi in recent years.

He said there are hundreds of litchi orchards on more than 1,000 hectares
of land that produces huge yield which meet the local demand as well as being
consigned to other parts of the country every year.