RANGPUR, Feb 13, 2019 (BSS) – The farmers are happy witnessing excellent
blooming in their litchi trees amid favorable climatic condition with advent
of the spring on the eve of departure of the winter in Rangpur agriculture
region.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said
excellent flowering in litchi trees has created expectation among farmers of
getting plentiful production of the juiciest, fleshy and tasty seasonal fruit
this season.
“About 85 percent of litchi trees in the orchards and homestead areas on
1,600 hectares of land in all five districts of the region have already
bloomed,” said Agriculturist Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam, Horticulture
Specialist of the DAE at its regional office.
Cultivation of litchi is expanding every year bringing fortune to many
farmers following repeated bumper production with excellent market price in
recent times attracting them in farming litchi on commercial basis.
“The farmer produced 14,848 tonnes of litchi worth Taka 148.50 crore
from 1,556 hectares of land during the 2017-2018 fiscal and 13,285 tonnes
worth Taka 133 crore from 1,551 hectares of land during the 2016-2017 fiscal
in the region,” he said.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Agriculturist Md
Moniruzzaman said litchi flowering will continue till middle of March next
when farmers will become busy with agronomical managements in their litchi
orchards for better production.
“The farmers are mostly cultivating high yielding, hybrid and local
varieties litchi like China-3, ‘Bedana’, Bombay, ‘Mozaffarpuri’, Madrazi and
‘Kanthali’ litchi after getting repeated bumper production in recent years,”
he said.
He suggested farmers to spray ‘Mentozeb’ or ‘Propikonazole’ as per
recommended dose to prevent powdery nose mildew or anthrax those might attack
young leaves or blooming flower twigs or buds following rise in temperature
amid cloudy sky.
Talking to BSS on their orchards, farmers Mokbul Hossain, Hassan Ahmed,
Solaiman Ali and Masudur Rahman of Rangpur Sadar and Badarganj upazilas
expressed their happiness over superb flowering in their litchi trees this
season.
Similarly, farmers Obaidul Haque, Arifur Rahman, Mazed Ali and Zikrul
Hassan of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila in Kurigram and Pirganj upazila in
Rangpur expressed their satisfaction over excellent litchi flowering amid
favourable climatic conditions.
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh
Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said excellent litchi flowering at this stage
amid favourable climatic condition predicts bumper output the seasonal fruit.
“The farmers are expanding commercial basis litchi cultivation after
getting repeated bumper production with lucrative price in the region in
recent years,” he said.
Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Agriculturist Dr Md Sarwarul Alam
suggested farmers to take extensive care of their orchards from March next so
that the tender litchi could grow excellent to get bumper production this
season.
Regional Additional Director of the DAE Agriculturist Md Shah Alam
expressed satisfaction over excellent blossoming in litchi trees and
predicted bumper production of the seasonal fruit this year if the climatic
situation remains favourable till June next.