The mouth-watering traditionally tasty litchis of Dinajpur have reached the markets of the district town, luring the lovers of the delicious fruit.
Retailers from across the country have thronged the wholesale litchi stores at different streets at Kalitala area under Kotwali thana, the wholesale litchi market in the town.
Traders claimed the prices are also under the capacity of consumers as 1000 pieces of high-variety litchis are being sold at Tk 200- Tk 700.
During a spot visit at the Kalitala litchi market, it was found that the whole area is being dominated by the mouth-watering fragrance of litchis. Wholesalers, retailers and middlemen are passing hectic hours, as litchis produced in all the 13 upazilas of the district have flooded the market.
The retailers coming from different districts expressed their satisfaction over the prospect of selling the tasty fruit to homebound people during the upcoming Eid-iul-Fitr.
Dwellers from different areas of the town have also gathered to buy the tasty fruit, said the traders.
“Among the litchis of Dinajpur, Bedena, Bombai, China-3, Madraji and Sidur varieties are popular,” they said, adding although Dinajpur is mostly popular for its paddy, demand for its litchis is no less.
Locals said already one after another tasty varieties of ripe litchi have reached the market.
Notable, litchi is produced in all the 13 upazilas of the district where annually Tk 30 crore transactions are made centring the fruit. People, especially from Sadar and Birol upazilas plant litchis even on the yard of their homes.
According to Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) of Dinajpur, there are 31,000 litchi gardens in the district, supplying 25-30 lakh litchis every day across the country. The litchi industry in Dinajpur provides employment to one lakh women and 50,000 men.
District DAE deputy director Md Tauhidul Iqbal said litchis have been cultivated on 5,000 hectares of land in 13 upazilas of the district.
Several litchi farmers of the district, however, expressed their dissatisfaction over having no cold storage for litchis in the district. They said, “Due to the lack of a cold storage, crores of litchis rot every year in the district, bearing losses to farmers.”