Low yield frustrates Nazirpur litchi growers

Litchi growers in Nazipur upazila of Pirojpur are not happy due to low yield of the succulent fruit.

Farmers said that this year they have got hardly any litchi from their orchards. Even, there are orchards where not a single litchi has grown.

"There are around 400 litchi trees in my orchard. But I have got litchi from only a few trees," said Hangsopoti Mistry of Tarabuniya village under Sakharikathi union in the upazila.

He is the pioneer of litchi cultivation in the upazila.

"Last year, we got a good yield but the fruits were damaged due to bad weather," he also said.

"But this year we are very disappointed with the lowest yield," he said.

Manmatho Edbor, another litchi grower of the village, said that though he has over 100 litchi trees in his orchard, he has not been able to sell any litchi from there.

"Only three trees in my orchard have borne fruits," he said.

Litchi growers said that they have cultivated litchi commercially at the village and as it is a good source of income for them and more farmers are being interested to cultivate the fruit.

"However, we could not think that we won't get any fruit from the trees this year," said Sawbari Boral, a female farmer of the village.

Because of excessive heat the trees did not flower this year, they said.

"Though some of the trees flowered, most of them dropped due to drought," said farmer Sujan Sikder.

Digbijoy Hazra, Nazirpur upazila agriculture officer, said that of the seven upazilas in the district, litchi grows well at Nazirpur.

There are litchi orchards on 25 acres of land and over 150 farmers are directly involved with litchi cultivation, he also said.

"But this year, the farmers have got the lowest yield due to unfavourable weather," he added.