Litchi growers in Dinajpur are busy tending their trees, hoping the heavy blossom on every tree will bring a bumper crop. With the weather suiting the fruit, orchard owners and growers in the district are relieved.

According to the Dinajpur office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), litchi is grown on 5,787 hectares in the district this year, 107 hectares more than last year. The district has 5,418 litchi orchards. The fruit is grown in all 13 upazilas, but the litchis of Sadar, Birol and Chirirbandar are the best.

Birol upazila grows the most, with litchi on more than 2,500 hectares and about 2,000 orchards, large and small. The agriculture department says the district will produce about 32,000 tonnes of litchi this year.

Because litchi pays better than other crops, many people are turning to commercial cultivation, and the area under the fruit grows every year. Last year, for the first time in the country's history, Dinajpur litchis were exported, and the fruit is now also a source of foreign currency.

Growers and orchard owners said adverse weather cut the yield last year. Excessive heat and hot westerly winds scorched most trees before the fruit could colour, and at least 40 per cent of the litchis were burnt, leaving growers with losses. This year the blossom is satisfactory, and if the weather stays favourable, growers will have reason to smile.

Masimpur in Sadar upazila, Madhabbati in Birol and Chirirbandar are famous for litchi. Dinajpur grows the Madrazi, Bombai, Bedana, China Three, Golapi and Kanthali varieties, but Bedana remains the most popular across the country. Visits to orchards in Masimpur, Madhabbati and several other areas over the past few days found the trees covered in yellowish blossom. Growers were clearing weeds from around the trunks, irrigating and spraying various pesticides.

Nazrul Islam, a litchi grower in Masimpur, said: "I have leased two orchards with 1,500 trees for five years. Last year the trees were full of green leaves instead of blossom, and on top of that the fierce heat burnt the litchis. But with the blossom we have this year, if there is no drought or excessive heat, the losses will be made up."

Amjad Hossain, a grower in Madhabbati, Birol, said he has two orchards and the blossom is heavier this year. He lost money last year but can make it up if the weather is favourable. Fruit will set on all the trees within about a week, when fungicide will be applied, and he hopes for a good yield.

Md Nuruzzaman, deputy director of the district DAE office, said: "Dinajpur's litchis are tasty and juicy, and there is demand for them across the country. Last year some trees lost their crop because of rising temperatures. This year the blossom came on time and in greater quantity. A production target of 30,000 tonnes has been set for the district, and I hope it will be exceeded."

He said: "Proper water and fertiliser management is very important for litchi. Farmers are being advised all the time on holding the blossom, keeping trees free of fungus and applying the right amounts of micronutrients and fertiliser. Field-level officers are working in every union so that growers and orchard owners face no problems."

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