Bumper litchi production likely in N-region

RANGPUR, Mar 2 (BSS): Massive flowering in litchi trees in favourable climatic condition is likely to lead to a bumper production of the juiciest fleshy fruit this season, experts said. Litchi cultivation has become very popular as hundreds of farmers achieved self-reliance through it in recent years in the northern region. Officials in the Department of Agriculture Extension said the commoners and farmers have been cultivating high yielding and hybrid varieties of litchi on more lands following repeated bumper productions. Some 75 per cent of the litchi trees in the orchards and homesteads have already bloomed in Rangpur division and other northern districts and the process of flowering still continues. Horticulturist Mezbahul Islam told the news agency that litchi production would be better this season, as the climatic condition are now favourable in the region. Agronomist Anarul Haque said that there might be a super bumper production of litchis this year in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur if the climatic condition remains favourable. Agri-scientists Dr MA Mazid said litchi farming has been expanding on commercial basis bringing fortunes to hundreds of enthusiastic farmers because of its repeated bumper productions and excellent market prices. Sources in the DAE and other organisations said that there are over 70 million litchi trees in some 7,500 small, medium and big-sized litchi orchards and homesteads in the region. The experts said commercial litchi farming has been expanding in over 4,000 litchi orchards in about 1,500 hectares of land and in most of the homesteads in Dinajpur district. In Rangpur region, the farmers have been cultivating the Madrazi and Bombay varieties of litchis on 75 percent land and varieties like Bedana, China-3, Golapi and Mozaffar in the other areas. The experts said that adequately favourable climatic conditions including early departure of the winter resulted in massive litchi blooming and the sunny weather has been helping better flowering so far.