Litchi farmers in Chatmohar, Pabna, are experiencing significant disappointment this season due to unusually low production caused by adverse weather conditions. Despite efforts to maintain their orchards, most farmers have seen their yields plummet, leading to widespread financial losses.
According to the Chatmohar Upazila Agriculture Office, litchi was cultivated on 480 hectares this season, primarily producing the Mozaffar variety along with smaller amounts of Bombay and China-3 varieties. However, unexpected weather events severely impacted the crops.
Abdul Majid, a farmer in Kumargara village, shared his struggles. He cultivated litchi on 27 bighas of land and managed to sell his entire crop for only Taka seven lakh. He explained that continuous rain during the flowering period destroyed the flowers, while subsequent high temperatures further damaged the plants. The final blow came from the storm and rain brought by Cyclone Remal. Feroza Parveen, a farmer and the female vice chairman of Chatmohar Upazila Parishad, echoed these sentiments. Despite having twenty litchi trees, she did not harvest any litchis this season due to flower rot caused by insufficient rainfall after blooming. Jahangir Alam, another farmer from Ramchandrapur village, described how initial high hopes for a bumper crop were dashed by the harsh weather. Farmers in areas like Ramchandrapur, Jaleshwar, and Nahunpara, who rely on litchi as a primary income source, saw their yields reduced to a quarter of the usual amount.
Litchi traders have also felt the impact.
Those who paid in advance for the crops before flowering have suffered significant losses. While wholesale litchi prices range from Tk 220 to Tk 250 per hundred, retail prices have soared to Tk 320 to Tk 350, making it difficult for consumers to afford the fruit.
SM Ali Ahmed, a consumer from Baluchar Mahalla, lamented the high market prices, noting that purchasing litchis has become a challenge this year.
Chatmohar Upazila Agriculture Officer AA Masum Billah confirmed the adverse weather effects, stating that rain during flowering and subsequent intense sun and drought damaged the litchi pods. Despite providing continuous guidance to farmers, production remains low, although prices are higher due to the scarcity. Cyclone Remal further exacerbated the damage.
This season's poor litchi yield has left Chatmohar's farmers and traders in distress, highlighting the vulnerabilities of agricultural communities to unpredictable weather patterns.
