Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
Litchi trees have budded in Ishwardi known as the capital of litchi. Looking at the litchi buds in bulk, it looks like there is a possibility of a bumper crop this time. Litchi growers are expecting a bumper yield this time breaking all past records. Such a bud has not been seen in the past few years. Almost every tree in the garden has bunches of litchi buds. So litchi farmers have a smile of satisfaction on their lips. The garden is buzzing with bees humming to extract honey from litchi. And the beekeepers have already started preparing for the season’s litchi honey extraction.
Cultivation of litchi started in Ishwardi from the eighties. At first, litchi was cultivated as a hobby, but now litchi is being cultivated commercially. Last year’s litchi sales target in Ishwardi was set at Tk 500 crore. This time, litchi business is expected to surpass that target and exceed Tk 700 crore.
Ishwardi is rich in agriculture due to favorable climate and fertile loamy soil. Most of the people of the upazila are now inclined towards litchi cultivation. Lychee buds begin to appear in early to mid autumn. At the end of Phagun, the golden buds of litchi bloom. At the beginning of the season, the flowers form into buds. If the weather is favorable, at the beginning of the month of Jaishtyam, you will see bright red litchi on the trees.
According to the information of the Upazila Agriculture Office, at present, about 3 thousand 100 hectares of land in the upazila are cultivated with different varieties of litchi. There are a total of 11,270 litchi gardens, big and small. Mainly 3 types of litchi are cultivated. Among them Mozaffar or Desi, Bombay and China-3 are one.
