Rangpur litchi farmers happy over prices

Litchi growers are now happy with the bumper production and lucrative price of the juicy and fleshy seasonal fruit that has already appeared in local markets of the northern districts.

Although harvesting of the hybrid variety of litchis will start after a couple of weeks, the ripe and semi-ripe local varieties have already started flooding the local markets but the price is beyond the reach.

At the initial stage, a bunch of 100 small litchis are being sold for Tk 200-300 and the half-ripe and ripe high yielding varieties for Tk 350-400, market sources said.

Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Gaibandha, Panchagarh and other northern districts have become busy with harvesting, packaging and marketing of litchis, creating job opportunities.

Harvesting of Madrazi, Bombay, Bedana, China-3, Golapi and Mozaffar varieties will start little later this month or in the first week of the next month.

Agriculture Scientist Dr MA Mazid and Agronomist Anarul Haque predict bumper production in the region including greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts. Experts, farmers and businessmen expect a record business of around Tk 4,000 crore for this season.

Hundreds of farmers have achieved self-reliance through cultivating the delicious seasonal fruit in recent years in northern Bangladesh.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials, litchi farming is consistently becoming popular across the country with excellent marketing facilities. Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said over 85 percent of the litchi trees are in about 9,000 small, medium and big orchards and homesteads.