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Unripe mangoes, litchis falling for extreme heat


Published : 28 Apr 2021 09:39 PM

Extreme heat and a long absence of rainfall for months is perishing young mangoes and litchis on the orchards while destroying standing paddy in Rajshahi region. 

Habibur Rahman of Haripur area under Paba upazila was pouring water through a bucket at the feet of the Litchi (Lychee) trees. He said, there has been no rain for a long time this year. The leaves of the trees are getting cramp in the heat of the burning sun. Some of the juvenile lychees are also being dried up. That is why he was pouring water on the tree-trunks hoping for any benefit.  

Mango orchard owner Saiful Islam of Chapal village under Godagari informed, the young mangoes from his trees are falling away in hot, dry weather. A moderate rainfall would save the mangoes. He said he was pouring water at the feet of the trees daily but that is not working well.

Meteorological Office sources in Rajshahi informed, there was only 7.6 millimetre of rainfall on April-9 and April-11 in some eastern side of Rajshahi city of Puthia, Charghat and Bagha upazila. But there was no rainfall in Rajshahi Metropolitan area, Godagari, Tanore, Mohanpur, Paba, Durgapur and Bagmara upazilas. As a result, the temperature of  Rajshahi is continuously increasing. Even the areas are facing mild to moderate heat waves.  

In Rajshahi, the highest day temperature recorded was 39 degree Celsius on last April-28. The lowest temperature of the day was 26.4 degree Celsius. For the last two weeks, the day temperature of the district was fluctuating between 38 degree Celsius highest to 25 degree Celsius lowest on an average . KZM Abdul Awal, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department of Rajshahi informed due to extreme heat and absence of moisture in air standing paddy in the field are also drying up in heat-shock. 

Zahidul Islam (40) of Mondumala area under Tanore upazila informed, an acute crisis of water has been prevailing in their areas. The deep tubewells under Barendra Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) cannot supply sufficient water in the Boro paddy fields; As a result, farmers wait for the rain water. But, there was no rainfall this year. As a result farmers are facing the crisis in irrigation. The irrigation cost from the deep tube well is also increasing, he added. 

Latifa Helen, Senior Observator of Rajshahi Meteorological Office informed, a mild heat-wave is blowing over Rajshahi, Khulna, Jeshore and Kushtia districts. There is no indication of decrease of the temperature unless there is no rainfall. It is still unpredictable when there will be rainfall.