RANGPUR, Mar 06 (BSS): With departure of the winter and advent of the spring, litchi trees are coming into blossom abundantly amid favorable climatic conditions and sunny weather everywhere in the region.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials here said excellent flowering in the litchi trees has created a hope of bumper production of the juiciest, fleshy and tasty seasonal fruit among the farmers this season.
"About 70 per cent of the litchi trees in over 8,800 small, medium and big-sized litchi orchards and homestead areas on 7,227 hectares of land have already bloomed," said horticulture specialist of DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam on Tuesday.
The blossom in litchi trees will continue till the second week of March in Rangpur division where commercial basis litchi cultivation has already become popular making hundreds of farmers self-reliant in recent years.
"The farmers are mostly cultivating high yielding varieties litchi like China-3, 'Bedana', Bombay, 'Mozaffarpuri' and Madrazi and late variety 'Kanthali' litchi after getting repeated bumper production," Islam said.
He suggested the farmers to spray 80 per cent Sulphur on litchi tress if mite attack is found during fruit formation stage for getting better output.
"The farmers can also 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," he added.
Talking to BSS on their orchards, farmers Atiar Rahman, Ariful Haque, Abdus Sobhan and Aiyub Ali of Sadar and Badarganj upazilas in Rangpur expressed satisfaction over flowering in their litchi trees and hoped to get a bumper production.
Meanwhile farmers Abul Kashem, Kafil Uddin and Aminul Haque of Sadar and Birganj upazilas in Dinajpur district also hoped to earn better profit getting bumper production of the fruit.
Regional Farm Broadcasting Officer of the Agriculture Information Service Md Abu Sayem predicted bumper litchi output this season if the climatic condition remains favourable till June next.
"The farmers are showing more interest in litchi cultivation after getting repeated bumper production in recent years," he said, adding that the farmers have already started taking extensive care so that litchi could grow abundantly this season.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md Moniruzzaman said litchi farming is expanding fast every year bringing fortune to thousands of farmers.
Regional Additional Director of DAE Md Shah Alam expressed satisfaction over excellent blossoming in litchi trees and predicted bumper production of the seasonal fruit this year.
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