Thakurgaon, Nilphamari

Litchi becomes money spinner in Thakurgaon

Litchi, a juicy and tasty summer fruit, is now abundantly available in markets of Thakurgaon district due to its sufficient production this season. According to agriculturists, Thakurgaon is one of the best litchi-growing areas of Bangladesh because of its favourable climate and soil.
A source in the Directorate of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Thakurgaon said there are 1,560 litchi orchards spread over 880 hectares in five upazilas of Thakurgaon. About 2,180 metric tonnes of litchi have been produced there this season. The varieties are Bombay, Golapi, Kanthali, Bedana and China-3.
Among these, China-3 and Bedana are considered the best, but their yield per tree is far less than those of Bombay, Golapi and Kanthali varieties. The China-3 and Bedana varieties are also pricier than the others because of their quality, taste and flavour. At present, China-3 and Bedana are selling at Tk. 700–750 per hundred litchis in different markets of the district, whereas the price of Bombay, Golapi and Kanthali is Tk. 300–350 per hundred.
Litchi cultivation brings handsome earnings to orchard owners. Abdul Jabbar of Gobindonogor village in Sadar upazila of the district said he had raised a litchi orchard on 30 acres, earning about Tk. 30–50 lakh each year from it. Rafiqul Islam, a litchi grower of Ghidov village in Pirganj upazila of the district, said he earns Tk. 30 lakh each year from his orchards. Besides, at least 25-30 labourers earn a daily wage of Tk. 250–300 for working in his orchard.
Clearly, the labourers, too, earn good money by plucking and sorting litchi. Mariam Khatun, Shefali Akhtar and Anjuara Begum, of the same village, said they plucked and sorted the fruit in orchards, earning Tk. 150–200 per day.
Ashraf Ali, an orchard guard, said he earned Tk. 200 per day.
The DAE’s deputy director at Thakurgaon, KM Mahmudul Islam, said there were fears that the litchi harvest would not be good this year, as the weather was not favourable at the beginning of the season. But conditions improved gradually, resulting in a good yield.
He said the soil, climate and other factors of Thakurgaon district are suitable for litchi cultivation.
Our  Nilphamari correspondent adds: A good number of rural people in Nilphamari district are becoming solvent by creating litchi orchards.
One such grower is Harikishore Barmon, son of the late Ombika Charan Barmon of village Bororauta Debirdanga in Domar upazila of the district. He earns a good sum of money by growing litchis on his one acre of land.
He told this correspondent that he had planted 68 litchi seedlings with help from the Domar agriculture office in 2007.
Domar agriculture officer Md Badrul Jamal, agriculture extension officer Md Samim Hossain and block supervisor Md Aminur helped him by supplying the seedlings free of cost.
He said his orchard began to yield the fruit in 2010. This year, he sold his harvest for Tk. 1,00,000 at the auction. He is expecting even better returns in future.

 

Thakurgaon, Nilphamari

Litchi becomes money spinner in Thakurgaon

Litchi, a juicy and tasty summer fruit, is now abundantly available in markets of Thakurgaon district due to its sufficient production this season. According to agriculturists, Thakurgaon is one of the best litchi-growing areas of Bangladesh because of its favourable climate and soil. A source in the Directorate of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Thakurgaon said there are 1,560 litchi orchards spread over 880 hectares in five upazilas of Thakurgaon. About 2,180 metric tonnes of litchi have been produced there this season. The varieties are Bombay, Golapi, Kanthali, Bedana and China-3. Among these, China-3 and Bedana are considered the best, but their yield per tree is far less than those of Bombay, Golapi and Kanthali varieties. The China-3 and Bedana varieties are also pricier than the others because of their quality, taste and flavour. At present, China-3 and Bedana are selling at Tk. 700750 per hundred litchis in different markets of the district, whereas the price of Bombay, Golapi and Kanthali is Tk. 300350 per hundred. Litchi cultivation brings handsome earnings to orchard owners. Abdul Jabbar of Gobindonogor village in Sadar upazila of the district said he had raised a litchi orchard on 30 acres, earning about Tk. 3050 lakh each year from it. Rafiqul Islam, a litchi grower of Ghidov village in Pirganj upazila of the district, said he earns Tk. 30 lakh each year from his orchards. Besides, at least 25-30 labourers earn a daily wage of Tk. 250300 for working in his orchard. Clearly, the labourers, too, earn good money by plucking and sorting litchi. Mariam Khatun, Shefali Akhtar and Anjuara Begum, of the same village, said they plucked and sorted the fruit in orchards, earning Tk. 150200 per day. Ashraf Ali, an orchard guard, said he earned Tk. 200 per day. The DAEs deputy director at Thakurgaon, KM Mahmudul Islam, said there were fears that the litchi harvest would not be good this year, as the weather was not favourable at the beginning of the season. But conditions improved gradually, resulting in a good yield. He said the soil, climate and other factors of Thakurgaon district are suitable for litchi cultivation. Our Nilphamari correspondent adds: A good number of rural people in Nilphamari district are becoming solvent by creating litchi orchards. One such grower is Harikishore Barmon, son of the late Ombika Charan Barmon of village Bororauta Debirdanga in Domar upazila of the district. He earns a good sum of money by growing litchis on his one acre of land. He told this correspondent that he had planted 68 litchi seedlings with help from the Domar agriculture office in 2007. Domar agriculture officer Md Badrul Jamal, agriculture extension officer Md Samim Hossain and block supervisor Md Aminur helped him by supplying the seedlings free of cost. He said his orchard began to yield the fruit in 2010. This year, he sold his harvest for Tk. 1,00,000 at the auction. He is expecting even better returns in future.