Dinajpur has a good reputation throughout the country as the state of litchi. As the sandy loam soil of this region is suitable for litchi cultivation, local farmers are getting interested in litchi cultivation every year.
Currently Madrasi-Bedana-Bombay litchi can be seen hanging on the trees. Litchi is grown more or less in 13 upazilas of Dinajpur. Most cultivation is done in Madhabbati, Karla, Rabipur, Rajarampur, Maheshpur Bathat and Chirirbandar and Khansama upazilas of Masimpur, Ulipur, Auliapur Mohabbatpur Biral. Generally, Dinajpur litchi starts ripening at the mid of summer. However, the farmers say that due to less rain this time, litchi will be seen in the last part of the season.
Although the Meteorological Department has announced the possibility of rain in the last part of April, it has not rained in Dinajpur. Liman Rahman, a farmer in Madhabbati area of Birol, said, rain is needed right now. We are irrigating regularly. But rain is good for litchi plantation. And if it rains after two weeks then the fruit growth will suddenly increase which is harmful to litchi.
According to the sources of District Agriculture Extension Department, there are 5 thousand 418 litchi gardens in 5 thousand 490 hectares of land in the district. Out of this, Bombay litchi 3 thousand 170 hectares, Madras litchi 1 thousand 166 hectares, China three varieties litchi 802 hectares, Bedana litchi 295.5 hectares, Kanthali litchi 56 hectares and Mozaffarpuri litchi has been cultivated in 1 hectare of land. Apart from this, there are about seven lakh litchi trees in the gardens including the courtyard of the homestead.
This time the target of litchi production has been set at 31 thousand 790 metric tons.
Last two days in Sadar Upazila Masimpur, Ulipur, Auliapur, and Biral's Madhabbati, Robipur area litchi gardens have been seen, there are bunches of green litchi hanging on the trees. The branches of the tree are slightly bent under the weight of the fruit. Tree care is almost over.
Farmers said that vitamins will be applied to the trees once more. Apart from this, insecticides will be sprayed at the base of litchi to prevent insects. Shishir Shah, a litchi farmer of Robipur area, said that he has a litchi garden on 30 bighas of land. However, the yield of currants and madrasi is less this year. Artificial irrigation is going on. Last season he sold litchi worth Tk 30 lakh. However, he claimed that the yield has decreased by at least 40 percent this time.
All in all, the farmers fear that the yield may be less this time. However, they are optimistic about the price of litchi even if the yield is low.
Farmer Mosharraf Hossain of Shambhugao village of Khansama upazila said that the demand for litchi will be high as the yield of litchi is low. Apart from this, the cost of care has also increased. So this time the price of litchi will be higher. Dinajpur Agricultural Extension Directorate Superintendent Nuruzzaman said that the farmers are taking care of the trees and fruits as per the advice of the Agriculture Department. Last time, the yield of Dinajpur litchi was 30 thousand metric tons. Generally, if the yield is high one time, the yield is slightly lower the next time. But there is nothing to panic. The fruit is already ripe.
Madrasi, Bedana, Haria Bedana, Bombay, China Three and Kanthali varieties of litchi are mainly cultivated in Dinajpur.
