RAJSHAHI, Apr 23: Owners of litchi orchards in the district are expecting a bumper production this season as subsequent rain during the last one month has ensured smooth growth of the young fruits.
Bunches of young green litchis on the tree branches look fresh and invigorating following showers.
Unlike previous years, young litchis are not drying up due to extreme heat. None of the fruits also experienced immature fall so far.
For such favourable weather condition, farmers are expressing their hope for an excellent production of the fruit this year.
Officials at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and agro-scientists of the Fruit Research Centre, Rajshahi, are also hopeful of a good yield.
They said weather of the year is still favourable for the juicy fruit.
Though the district experienced hailstorms during the flowering period, it did not cause much harm. They said if the weather condition remains favourable for the next one month, litchi cultivators of the district would be benefitted greatly.
Anwar Hossain of Kantkhali municipal area said he owns 30 litchi trees on one bigha of land. There was blooming of flowers on all the trees. Some of those have been fallen, still there are large number of 'guti' (young litchi) on the branches.
If those do not wither further, he would be able to make a handsome profit. He said he was taking extra care of his orchard for smooth growth of the popular fruit.
Dr Abdul Alim, chief scientific officer of Rajsahi Fruit Research Institute, said litchi grows well in comparatively low day temperature.
Flowers usually do not fall if there is no heavy rain.
If there is no heat wave during the next one month, there would be a bumper production of litchi this year, he added.
Shamsul Haque, deputy director of DAE, litchi orchards have been grown on total of 480 hectares of land in Rajshahi district.
The DAE has fixed a target of producing 4.5 tonnes of litchi from per hectare of land. He expressed the hope that the target of litchi production will be achieved this year.
Mr Haque said, like mango, many people of the district are getting benefits by growing litchi in their orchards.
China-3 (hybrid), Bombay and Madras are the most popular varieties in the region. Paba, Godagari, Charghat, Bagmara, Bagha, Puthia and Durgapur upazilas of the district are well-known for producing quality litchis.
