The litchi farmers in Jhenaidah although saw bright prospect of the juicy and palatable fruit for past few years, they had changed their minds and leaning towards dragon and late variety of Katimon mango as those two fruits have been ensuring more money of them. Further, those fruits have potentials for exporting abroad, said the farmers and the officials of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Jhenaidah.
Some litchi orchard owners upon contacted in Kotchandpur upazila of Jhenaidah, they said there was huge flowering since spring. The flowers offered smaller size of bearings which have been growing faster.
A number of farmers at Ganna and Dohijuri villages under Jhenaidah Sadar upazila when contacted said they have been gradually reducing the area of litchi, while expanding the dragon and Katimon mango for their own interest.
Office sources of the deputy director in Jhenaidah Khamarbari said the farmers had produced 3.080 tones of litchi in the previous season on 428 hectares of land i the district. Litchi production on each hectare of land was 7.19 tones. But the farmers had reduced the area to 320 hectares in the current season.
Upazila wise break up of the area was 84 hectares in Jhenaidah Sadar, 95 hectares in Kaliganj, 30 hectares in Kotchandpur, 70 hectares in bordering Moheshpur, 25 hectares in Shailkupa and remaining 16 hectares in Harinakundu. They are expecting about 3,123 tones of the fruit at the rate of 9.75 tones if the climate was favourable.
Deputy Director of the Khamarbari in Jhenaidah Asgar Ali when contacted said the farmers in the district are always aware about their interest. Although the farming area of litchi farming was increasing faster in the district, they have been leaving the litchi and leaning towards dragon and late variety of Katimon mango as those two fruits offering better prices for the growers.
Further, the government has been earning foreign currencies when the fruits were imported to some of the foreign countries. It will strengthen the socio-economic state of the dragon and Katimon variety mango produces as well, DAE deputy director said.