RANGPUR, May 29, 2022 (BSS) - Farmers are happy getting excellent output and lucrative price of litchi as its trade has reached the peak in Rangpur agriculture region during the current season.
 
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and farmers said harvesting of the most popular, fleshy and juicy seasonal fruit continues in full swing now with abundant supply in local markets.
 
At the same time, hundreds of laborers are engaged in harvesting, packaging and marketing of litchi in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts in the region.
 
"Farmers are getting bumper output of comparatively big-sized and fleshier litchi following frequent rainfalls during the fruit formation period," said Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Emdad Hossain Sheikh.
 
Farmers have cultivated litchi on around 2,000 hectares of land and the production might cross 21,000 tonnes worth about Taka 200 crore this year in the region.
 
The DAE officials and market sources said harvest of the 'Bombay', 'Mozaffarpuri' and 'Madrazi' and China-2 variety litchi is nearing completion with plenty of supply and better market price making both growers and traders happy.
 
The 'Bombay', 'Mozaffarpuri', and 'Madrazi' varieties of litchi are being sold at rates between Taka 300 and 400 for every 100 pieces while China-2 varieties at Taka 400 to 500 for every 100 pieces in the local markets.
 
However, harvest of the aristocratic litchi varieties like 'Bedana', 'Kanthali' and China-3 is expected to begin within the next few days and prices for every 100 pieces of these superior litchi varieties might be much higher this season.
 
Fruit traders Abuzar Rahman, Mohsin Ali and Fazlul Haque at Rangpur City Bazar said supply of litchi remains plenty in local markets following bumper production even after trading huge quantities of the fruit daily from the region to other districts.
 
Talking to BSS, litchi grower Hasanul Haque of village Balapara Dilalpur in Badarganj upazila of Rangpur said he has been cultivating litchi on commercial basis on his orchard for the past 14 years and changed his fortune never incurring any loss.
 
"I have cultivated Madrazi and China-3 varieties of litchi in my orchard on five acres of land. I expect a super bumper production of the fruit this time and more profits as market price of litchi is much higher this time than the previous years," he added.
 
Farmers Mozammel Hossain, Anisul Haque, Mofizar Rahman, Shahidul Haque and Armanul Islam of different villages in Rangpur said they have cultivated Madrazi, Bombay and China-3 varieties of litchi in their orchards.
 
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director of the DAE for Rangpur Agriculturist Md. Obaidur Rahman Mandal expressed his satisfaction over the excellent yield and market price of litchi and predicted a bumper production of the seasonal fruit.
 
"Field level agriculture officials of the DAE provided latest technologies and assistance to farmers in taking extensive care of blooming litchi trees and agronomic management to get bumper production of the fruit this season," he said.
 
Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said litchi farming on orchards is expanding every year bringing more profits to farmers than many other crops in the region.