Although Ishwardi in Pabna is famous across the country for its juicy litchis, this year the market has been flooded with immature, tasteless litchis at the very start of the season. Hoping for bigger profits, orchard owners and traders are picking unripe, sour litchis from the trees and selling them. Doctors fear that eating these immature litchis can cause serious health risks in children, including vomiting, stomach pain and seizures.

The immature litchis now flood the Railgate, Post Office Mor and Joynagar Shimultala markets in Ishwardi municipality, and buyers are paying high prices for them. At present 100 local (Mozaffar) variety litchis sell for Tk 260 to Tk 300.

National award-winning litchi grower Abdul Jalil Kitab told Jago News that immature litchis are being bought and sold in the market now, with some orchard owners selling them in the hope of excessive profit. Buyers are being deprived of the true taste of litchi on the one hand, and on the other these litchis carry a health risk. Ripe, juicy litchis will reach the market in two weeks, he said.

Sakib Hossain, resident medical officer at the Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex, expressed concern over the sale of these immature litchis. He said eating unripe litchis on an empty stomach disrupts the body's process of producing glucose, which can cause severe hypoglycaemia. Children in particular are likely to suffer vomiting, severe stomach pain, seizures and other complications.

He said immature litchis are often sprayed with harmful organophosphorus pesticides, which are extremely dangerous for the human body.

Anisur Rahman, a litchi seller at Joynagar Shimultala market, said sales of local (Mozaffar) litchis began at the market two days ago. Trade will not pick up until Bombai and China Three litchis arrive, which will take another 15 to 20 days.

Abdul Alim, a litchi grower from Maniknagar village, said Ishwardi has had a good litchi yield this year. Local varieties are now starting to reach the market, and Bombai litchis will arrive in the middle of the Bengali month of Jyoishtho. The litchis in the market now are not of very high quality and are not juicy, he said.

Abdur Rahman, a litchi seller on Station Road in Ishwardi market, said: "The litchis I am selling now are a local variety. I collect them from the orchards and sell them in the market. To tell the truth, the litchis have not fully ripened yet. Orchard owners are selling them because they get high prices."

Asked whether immature litchis are a health risk, he said: "I don't understand anything about health risks. I am selling in the hope of profit."

According to the upazila agriculture office, Mozaffar, Bombai, China Three and Bedana litchis have been grown on 3,100 hectares in Ishwardi this year.

Upazila agriculture officer Abdul Momin said farmers must wait at least another 15 days to ensure the fruit's true taste and nutritional value. The agriculture department is stressing that litchis should be marketed only once they are fully mature.

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