Panchagarh, March 10, 2024 (BDRunner): Litchi trees are bursting with buds this season in the district. Looking at this year’s litchi tree’s bright and hanging buds, one can think that there will be a bumper yield of litchi this season. Bees buzzing in the fragrance of litchi tree buds.
Garden owners are happy to see so many buds of trees this time. They hope that the orchard owners will benefit from the litchi yield. So far no natural problems have had any adverse effect on the buds. In the days to come, if nature cooperates, the litchi growers will be able to make bumper yields as well as good profits. Litchi is a juicy fruit. This nutritious fruit is very popular for all ages. Litchi garden owner Akter Master said that he has litchi garden in his 6 bigha land. There are 200 trees. Last year litchi did not grow on all the trees, but sold litchi worth one and a half lakh rupees. This time, all his trees have budded, until the litchi is sold, if the weather is favorable, he expects to be able to sell 3/4 lakh worth of litchi this time. Abdul Malek, another litchi garden owner, expressed similar expectations. He also has litchi and mango orchards on 12 bigha land.
According to the survey of the district agriculture department, commercial cultivation of litchi is being done on two thousand hectares of land in Panchagarh. The number of litchi trees is two lakh. Among them, one and a half lakh litchi trees are more than 15 years old. There are also a large number of litchi trees in and around rural homesteads in 43 unions of the district. As litchi cultivation is profitable, the number of orchards in Panchagarh is increasing every year. The yield of litchi per hectare is estimated at 525 tons. 5 varieties of litchi are being cultivated in the district. Among them are indigenous breeds, China 2, 3, 4 and Bombay. Demand is good in China 2,3,4 market. Last year China 3 varieties of litchi was Tk 400 to 5000. Naimul Huda, Deputy Director of District Agriculture Extension Department, told Basas that farmers are being advised to apply balanced fertilizers in litchi gardens, and the Agriculture Department is also providing technical assistance.
