Litchi is now flooded in litchi gardens of Chaatak upazila in Sunamganj as the upazila has witnessed bumper production of the delicious fruit yet again this year. Thanks to favourable environment and extending necessary supports to growers.
There are litchi orchards in Manikpur, Godabari, Bargalla, Chanpur, Rajargaon and Kachudair villages of Noarai union of Chattak upazila. Litchi orchards have also spread in Lamasania village of Doarabazar upazila. Litchi cultivation was first started commercially in Manikpur village of Chattak and from here the people of the surrounding villages became interested in litchi cultivation.
In 2014, the gardeners created a stir in the area by selling litchi worth crores of taka. From this Manikpur became known as the village of litchi. Gradually, litchi cultivation started in the surrounding villages as well.
Litchi is getting good yield here every year. The gardeners of a few villages earn about Tk 1.5 crore per season by selling litchi. They took the help of Upazila Agriculture Department for good yield of litchi.
The gardeners said that they have to work hard to protect the litchi tit insects from the garden. The villages have been electrified for two years thanks to the efforts of local MP Muhibur Rahman Manik. Before electrification, half of the litchi in the garden was destroyed by ticks, bats and insects.
Due to the advent of electricity, it is becoming possible to keep insects, ticks, bats, cuttlefish etc. away by using different technologies.
Although the litchis in the gardens of Chattak are succulent, they are much smaller in size than the litchis in other parts of the country.
A few years ago, MP Muhibur Rahman Manik and former Upazila Chairman Oliur Rahman Chowdhury Bakul gave improved varieties of litchi saplings to the litchi farmers here. Large size litchi is also being produced from these seedlings.
Litchi growers say they are having truble marketing the litchis grown in the orchards as a bridge on the Chaumuhani Bazar road from Rajargaon collapsed, closing the road. Now, they have to come to Chhatak town through Baliura Bazar of Doara Upazila, by giving extra fare.
Although litchis grown in this region are sold in different parts of the country, their litchis are being sold only in Sylhet because of disruption in communication due to coronavirus crisis. However, due to the good yield of litchi, the farmers are still hopeful that they will be able to sell litchi worth Tk 1.5 crore this season as well.
Abdul Hamid, Doarbazar Upazila Assistant Agricultural Extension Officer and a resident of Godabari village, said he was continuing his efforts to make people interested in litchi cultivation. Most of the litchi growers here have planted litchi gardens on his advice.
As the soil of this region is suitable for litchi cultivation, he is always using advanced technology in litchi cultivation and giving all kinds of advice to the farmers in litchi cultivation.