Litchi growers expect healthy profit this year

Our Correspondent | Published: May 20, 2019 20:04:28

NAOGAON, May 20: Farmers of Atrai upazila in the district are expecting to make a handsome profit from litchi cultivation as they are witnessing a good yield of the juicy fruit this season.
The growers are still now busy in nursing the litchi trees as the ripening time of the fruit nears.
The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said farmers of the upazila are cultivating litchi on around 12 hectares of land this year.
Growers are optimistic for getting good yield and reasonable price of the fruit, the sources added.
One Babu Khandakar of Bhabanipur village under the upazila said farmers are using pesticides to get rid of insects before the ripening time.
Acting deputy director of Naogaon DAE Masudur Rahman said litchi farmers of the upazila waiting to pick up the fruits for sale.
Growers will hopefully attain record output this year if the atmosphere condition remains favourable till the end, Mr Rahman added.
Meanwhile, BSS adds: In Dinajpur, litchi is now flooded in local markets of Dinajpur as the district has witnessed bumper production of the delicious fruit thanks to favourable environment and extending necessary supports to growers.
Touhidul Iqbal, deputy-director of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Dinajpur office, said 5,002 hectares of land were brought under litchi cultivation in 13 upazilas in the district.
There are 3,267 litchi orchards in the district, he said, "Abundant litchi production is also seen in homesteads… Alongside local varieties of the litchi, hybrid China-2, 3 and 4 varieties are also cultivated in the district."
Price ranges from Tk 150 to Tk 200 per hundred in different markets in Dinajpur, local growers said adding, traders are purchasing these litchis from orchard in different areas of Dinajpur and sending the seasonal fruit to different regions of the country, particularly to capital city Dhaka.
Traders said different varieties including Bombai, Madrazi, Bedana, China, Kathali and Hariya are already available in the markets.
Hasan Ali, a grower of Bejera village under Birol upazila, said, "I have three litchi orchards with 500 trees… I am happy with good yield of litchi and I am expecting selling those at fair prices."
Deputy Commissioner Md Mahmudul Alam told the news agency that, "We have motivated growers for not using any pesticide and contaminated medicines for cultivating litchi as it is a harmful practice for human health.
Report from Rangpur says: Newly-harvested litchi has already appeared in the local markets in the Rangpur agriculture region and farmers are happy over the present market price.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and market sources said ripe and half-ripe local varieties and some high yielding varieties of litchi already appeared in local markets but they are pricey now.
Currently, litchi varieties like Bombay, Mozaffarpuri and Madrazi are being sold at rates between Tk 300 and Tk 350 per every one hundred while half-ripe high yielding China-3 variety at rates between Tk 550 and Tk 650.
Fruit trader Fazlur Rahman at Rangpur City Bazar said litchi traders from across the country have already flocked to the region and purchased the fruit in advance from most orchard owners as in previous seasons.
Talking to the news agency, Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its regional office Agriculturist Khondker Md. Mesbahul Islam said farmers are expecting a bumper output of litchi if the climatic conditions remained normal till June next.
The farmers are confident of reaping huge profits following outstanding blossoming in litchi trees followed by smooth formation of tender fruit amid favourable climatic conditions and frequent rainfalls this time.
"About 95 per cent of litchi trees in orchards and homesteads on 1,750 hectares of land had bloomed massively this season in all five districts of the region," Islam added.
With assistance of agriculture officials, farmers conducted better agronomic management and sprayed pesticides as per recommended dose to prevent powdery nose mildew or anthrax attack on young leaves or tender fruits resulting to bumper litchi yield.
Regional Additional Director of the DAE Mohammad Ali said litchi farming has brought a silent economic revolution making hundreds of rural farmers self-reliant through its cultivation in the region.
The farmers cultivated litchi on 1,551 heaters of land and produced 13,285 tonnes of the fruit worth over Tk 1.33 billion last year in the region.
"However, the production might cross 15,000 tonnes worth Tk 1.50 billion this year as farmers have cultivated litchi on 1,750 hectares of land and the fruits grew superbly," Ali said.