The litchi farmers are facing natural calamities when the excessive heat wave has been damaging the mature and immature fruits. The production might be reduced when the fruits are cracked and dropping from the trees frequently.
Shamsul Alam, a vendor of Habibpur village under Sailkupa in Jhenidah said, he along with others purchased the litchi of a four-bigha plot at Kamanna village of same upazila in the flowering stage. China-3, China-2, Bedana, Bombai and Mojaffar are the varieties of litchis. He hopes harvest the fruits for worth Tk 3.5 lakh.
But the fruits immediate before maturing in the early May, started cracking rapidly in the trees. Those were dropping within a day or two. They contacted to the officials of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) for advice. The DAE had suggested them to spray huge water which was absurd for any one. At least one-third of the fruits might be damaged due to crack, Alam said.
Farmer Sadhan Chandra of Bishoykhali area in Jhenidah Sadar upazila said, he started harvesting the litchi immediate before maturing to save the fruits from excessive heat. Huge matured fruits have been damaged in the meantime, the farmer said.
DAE sources said, the famers have been cultivating litchi on a total of 417 hectares of land in the season. They are expecting 4,300 tons of fruit in the season. The farmers produced 3,873 tons of lich on 382 hectares of land last season.
Upazila wise litchi farming in the current season is 82 hectares in Jhenidsh Sadar, 80 hectares in Kaliganj and Moheshpur each, 20 hectares in Kotchandpur, 90 hectares in Sailkupa and remaining 65 hectares in Harinalkundu upazila.
GM Abdur Rauf, Deputy Director of the DAE in Jhenidah said, the farming of the profitable litchi has been increasing every year in the district. Many of the farmers abolished the Baukul and Apple kul which has been replaced by litchi orchards. As the farmers are benefited more, they are showing their eagerness in litchi farming. China-3, China-2 and Bombai are the best choice to the farmers in the district.
The litchi farming needs least care and management, while more profitable to the farmers, they are increasing land every year. It has been strengthening their socio-economic status day by day, Deputy Director added.
