Juicy litchis hang in bunches on the trees, although they have not yet turned fully red. Even so, to get good prices, farmers, orchard owners and traders have started bringing litchis to market. Litchis are on sale at the biggest litchi market in Dinajpur town and at various other spots in the town.

One hundred litchis of the Madrazi variety are selling for Tk 250-350. No other variety was yet to be seen. Farmers and traders say litchi prices are good this time.

Dinajpur is known as the "kingdom of litchis". At street corners and markets around the town, farmers and orchard owners have spread green leaves and piled litchis on top, and sellers are calling out to buyers.

Buyers and sellers said a thousand Madrazi litchis are selling for Tk 2,200-2,500 wholesale and Tk 2,500-3,500 retail, meaning 100 litchis cost Tk 250-350.

Liton Hossain, owner of Dinajpur Fruit Bhandar at Bahadur Bazar, told Jago News: "A few litchis have started to reach the market here and there. We are buying and selling them, and prices are good. If prices stay like this, orchard owners, farmers and traders will all make a profit."

He said all varieties of litchi would reach the market in about a week, and it remains to be seen how the market holds up then.

Town resident Sharif said: "New litchis have come to the market, so I bought some. I paid Tk 350 for 100. The Madrazi litchis are good quality too."

Khairul Islam, an employee of an insurance office, had come to Bahadur Bazar to buy litchis. He told Jago News: "The litchis in the market have not fully coloured yet. Still, I bought 50 litchis for Tk 170." Another buyer, Shamser Ali, said: "My children insisted when they saw litchis in the market, so I had to buy some. But the price seems high. I paid Tk 350 for 100 Madrazi litchis, which cost Tk 200 last time."

Litchi farmer Nazrul Islam said he has Madrazi and Bombai litchis in his orchard and has picked the Madrazi ones. He is getting good prices this time, and if prices stay like this, farmers will make a profit.

Nuruzzaman, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said 30 tonnes of litchis were produced last year, with a market value of about Tk 800 crore. This year the production target has been set at 35 tonnes. Irrigation and care costs have risen this season, so prices will also be a little higher. He estimated that litchis worth Tk 1,000 to 1,200 crore would be traded.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.