Bumper litchi harvest expected in north

Formation and growth of tender litchi have been continuing smoothly amid favourable climatic condition, predicting excellent output of the juiciest, tasty and fleshy fruit this season in the northern districts.

Officials and experts in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and other organisations concerned have predicted bumper production of the fruit following excellent blooming in the litchi trees this season.

The farmers are now busy nursing litchi trees in orchards and homesteads as formation of the tender fruit continues superbly after the rainfalls in recent days. The harvest would begin from the next month, they hoped.

According to the DAE, over 90 percent of litchi trees in about 9,200 small, medium and big-sized litchi orchards, homesteads and other places have massively bloomed this season.

Hundreds of litchi orchards have been set up in Dinajpur, Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and other northern districts.

Horticulture Specialist of the DAE at its Rangpur regional office Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said commercial litchi cultivation has already become popular, bringing self-reliance to hundreds of farmers through farming the fruit in recent years.

"The farmers mostly have been cultivating high yielding varieties like China-3, 'Bedana', Bombay, 'Mozaffarpuri' and Madrazi and late variety 'Kanthali' litchi following repeated bumper production and lucrative price," he said.

Mesbahul suggested the farmers to spray recommended dose of 80 percent sulphur on litchi tress if mite attack is found following rise in temperature during fruit formation stage for getting excellent yield.

Litchi growers Morshed Hossain, Aminul Haque, and Nilchand Roy said they were expecting bumper litchi yield again this season to make excellent profits.