RAJSHAHI, March 25, 2020 (BSS)- Litchi trees as a whole in the region have become bloomed at present by dint of suitable climatic condition predicting a bumper production of the mouth-watering seasonal fruit during the current summer season.
Growers, agriculturists and other traders concerned are expecting a satisfactory yield of litchi as most of the trees have sprouted massively everywhere in the region, including its vast Barind tract.
While visiting some of the litchi-producing areas on Monday found the growers were very busy in taking care of their trees with the hope of getting more yield.
Monir Hossain, a litchi grower at Darusha village under Paba Upazila, said many of his co-villagers are earning excellent profits every year through farming litchi on their orchard. He mentioned litchi is a very short-duration business but profitable and lucrative as well inspiring many people to become engaged every season.
The production and business also create many seasonal employment scopes in terms of harvesting, transporting, trading and packaging. Abul Hashem, a school teacher, said he has cultivated 40 litchi trees on two bighas of land last year and he sold litchis worth Tk 250,000 from his orchard.
Traders from various places including Dhaka, Chittagong and Barisal come here to buy litchis every year. Dr Alim Uddin, Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Center, said massive budding in the litchi trees amid the favorable climatic condition predicts a bumper production of the juiciest fleshy fruit this season.
He said the trees have started getting fruit-setting stage after ending the budding phase due to the favorable weather.
Litchi cultivation has become very popular as hundreds of farmers have achieved self-reliance through farming the fruits on a commercial basis in recent years.
The farmers and commoners have been cultivating high yielding varieties including China-3 and Bedana and early varieties like Bombay and Madrazi litchi on more lands following repeated bumper productions and lucrative prices.
Monjurul Haque, Additional Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension, said more than 90 percent litchi trees of all the small, medium and big-sized litchi orchards and homesteads have blossomed.
He said the massive spouting predicts bumper litchi production this season in the region if the climatic conditions remain favourable till June next.
Agriculturist Haque said a five-year old tree can produce around 100 to 150 kilograms of litchis which are equivalent to 2,000 to 6,000 pieces of fruits in number.
By cultivating the fruit most of the families at Bargachhi, Bagsara, Charghat and Bagha have become economically solvent. Dr Saifur Rahman, Deputy Director of Horticulture Development Centre, said litchi farming on a commercial basis expands faster bringing fortunes to hundreds of farmers for repeated bumper production and excellent market price.
Hundreds of litchi orchards have been set up on cultivable lands on homesteads in the region, he said. Suitable soil, favorable climate and optimum prices are the reasons behind massive cultivation of the fruit.
ATM Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Manager (Agriculture) of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority, expressed satisfaction over massive budding in litchi trees hoping for a bumper production due to prevailing favourable climatic condition this season.