Because of the long heatwave, litchis have started to ripen very late. With no rain at the right time, the flesh and flavour of this year's litchis are poor and they are taking longer to ripen. Even so, hoping for profit, traders and orchard owners have begun selling immature litchis.

Farmers say that because of the hostile weather they are forced to pick litchis before they mature. Fruit is dropping from the trees and splitting, so they are selling it.

According to the district agriculture department, litchi orchards cover 715 hectares in the district. At first, 65 per cent of the trees flowered. The orchards grow Anti litchi, Mozaffar Bombai, Chili Bombai, Ata Bombai and China-3 varieties. Because it is profitable, litchi cultivation in the district is growing day by day.

Ashkar Ali, a litchi grower in Busstand Para of Meherpur town, told Jago News that he had tended litchi trees on 25 bighas this year. His orchard has Anti, grafted, Bombai and China-3 litchis. But because of the hostile weather the fruit is somewhat smaller than expected. A tree that bore 17 counts last year (80 litchis make one pon, and 100 pon make one count) has 10 counts this year. Litchi prices, however, are good.

Orchard owner Rustam Ali told Jago News: "Litchis have not yielded well this year. Last year farmers profited well from litchis. This time the intense heat means there will be losses. But if there is no major natural disaster over the next week, along with the expected yield, some of the loss can be recovered."

Another grower, Mizanur Rahman, said: "This season the trees flowered a little late, and very little at that. On top of that, the intense heat and lack of rain made many litchis drop. Growers will count losses."

At Gangni Bazar, sellers were seen lined up along the roadside, selling 80 litchis for Tk 240 to Tk 260. Litchi sellers Rabiul Islam and Nasir Uddin told Jago News that they had bought orchards at wholesale prices as soon as the trees flowered. The extreme sun and lack of rain meant the litchis had not coloured, and their flesh and flavour were poor. Stalks were drying and fruit was dropping, and skins were splitting. That is why they had to sell even though the fruit was immature; otherwise they would lose heavily.

Litchi trader Moklechur Rahman said: "I am selling litchis at Tk 250 a pon (80). The litchis have ripened even though they have not coloured. If we try to ripen them more, we will be ruined. We had to pay the full price to buy the orchards just by looking at the young fruit."

Buyer Saidur Rahman told Jago News: "New fruit has come to the market, so I have to buy to satisfy my family. The colour and flavour are a bit lacking, though. If they had stayed on the tree a few more days, the litchis would have filled out and tasted better."

Another buyer, Shahnaz Begum, said: "It is the new fruit of the year, so I bought some. But this year litchis are less sweet and less tasty, and the price is very high. Sellers are asking up to Tk 250 to Tk 260 for 80 litchis."

Litchi grower Ahsan Ali said that although his orchard had 50 trees, only half bore fruit, and the yield was lower than last year. Litchis were dropping in the heat, and watering the base of the trees was not helping much. The fruit still on the trees was small, so this year his orchard would yield only a third.

Bijoy Krishna Halder, deputy director of the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said administrative action would be taken against those marketing immature litchis.

He said farmers were being advised to market litchis a few days later to maintain their quality. Apart from hail and storms, the current weather was suitable for litchis. Consumers eating immature litchis would not get their flavour or nutritional value.

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