The farmers in Rangpur region have produced 15,225 tonnes of litchi worth Taka 1.52 billion this season, according to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials.
Both litchi growers and traders expressed their happiness over bumper production, better price and excellent business of the seasonal fruit, reports BSS.
Horticulture Specialist of DAE at its regional office in Rangpur Agriculturist Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said litchi farming is expanding every year bringing fortune to many farmers.
The farmers had cultivated litchi on 1,750 hectares of land and produced 15,225 tonnes of litchi worth Taka 1.52 billion with an average yield rate of 8.70 tonnes per hectare in the region this season, he said.
“The farmers cultivated litchi on 1,551 hectares of land and produced 13,285 tonnes of the fruit worth Taka 1.33 billion in 2017 and on 1,566 hectares and produced 14,848 tonnes of litchi worth Taka 1.48 billion in 2018 in the region,” Islam added.
Litchi traders Mona Hossain at Rangpur City Bazar said bigger litchi traders, who came from Dhaka, Gazipur, Tangail and other places of the country, already returned from Rangpur region after completing litchi business.
“At the initial stage of harvest, every 100 pieces of Bombay, Mozaffarpuri and Madrazi varieties of litchi were sold at rates between Taka 200 and 300 while China-3 variety between Taka 350 and 450,” said litchi trader Belal Hossain at the market.
Besides, every 100 pieces of Bedana litchi was sold at rates between Taka 450 and 600 in local markets two weeks back.
“However, every 100 pieces of the aristocrat Bedana variety litchi were sold at rates between Taka 700 and 800 and China-3 variety at Taka 500 to 600 at the end of harvesting period,” litchi trader Babu Mian said.
“Besides, late varieties of ‘Kanthali’ and ‘Elachi’ litchi were sold at rates between Taka 250 and 400 per every 100 pieces this season,” Babu added.
Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Muhammad Ali said cultivation of litchi on commercial basis has made many farmers self-reliant bringing a silent revolution in the agro-economy in the region in last 10 years.
“Litchi cultivation has become a very profitable venture than cultivating many other crops enabling farmers to earn Taka 100,000 to Taka 200,000 per acre of land annually,” he said.
Litchi grower Hasanul Haque of Balapara Dilalpur village in Badarganj upazila here said he cultivated litchi in his orchard on three acres of land and earned a net profit of over Taka 500,000 this year.
“I have been cultivating Madrazi and China-3 varieties of litchi in my orchard on commercial basis for the past 12 consecutive years without incurring any loss,” he said.
Farmers Ekramul Haque of the same village and Shahidul Haque of nearby village Balapara had cultivated Madrazi, Bombay and China-3 varieties of litchi on their orchards of 70 decimals and two acres of land respectively.
They got bumper production of the fruit and earned better profits this time like in the previous eight consecutive years.
Similarly, farmer Harish Chandra of Salaipur village in Mithapukur upazila in Rangpur said he had cultivated China-3 and Madrazi varieties of litchi in their orchards on one acre of land each and earned better profits this time.