Last-minute setback for litchi growers

Nearly ripe litchis at an orchard of Munshirhat village in Thakurgaon municipality develop cracks three to four days after appearance of black spots. The spread of the disease caused mostly by high temperature worries the growers of the juicy summer fruit in the district.Photo: STAR

Litchi growers in the district are facing a setback only a few days before harvest as crack developed in the summer fruit.
DAE officials advised the farmers to spray adequate fresh water on the juicy fruits but to no effect.
Besides excessive summer heat, mindless use of harmful hormones and pesticides and chemicals in the district's litchi orchards for increasing the yield, ripen the fruits early and make them look larger has threatened the yield, officials said.
Environment-friendly worms and insects are also decreasing fast as a result of rampant use of the chemicals and pesticides, they said.
During a visit to Munshirhat village behind the Polytechnic Institute in the district town last week, this correspondent saw black spots developed on most litchis in every tree.
Abdul Momin, son of Badsha Mian of Mirkamari village under Ishwardi upazila in Pabna, who bought two litchi orchards having 22 trees at a cost of Tk. 1.5 lakh, said he was going to incur a huge loss this season.
He said, at first a black spot appears on litchi's outer surface, then after 3-4 days the fruit splits up.
Spraying of fresh water on the fruits did not work, he said.
Last year ordinary varieties of litchi were sold for Tk 100 to 110 per 100 pieces while Bedana, China sold at Tk 400 to 600 per 100 pieces at grower's level, Momin said.
This year the price is comparatively higher than the previous year. Each ordinary variety of litchi is being sold for Tk 140 to 160 per 100 pieces while Bedana, China at Tk 600 to 1000, Momin and others said.
At present, several varieties of litchi including Golapi, Bombai, China and Bedana are being grown in the district, farmers and traders said.
Several growers said they sprayed pesticides, fungicides, vitamins and hormones for over 20 times for protection, better colour and size of the fruit in the season.
Deputy Director of Thakurgaon Department of Agricultural Extension Md. Belayet Hossain told this correspondent that excessive temperature may be the reason behind developing crack in the litchis.
We suggested the farmers to spray fresh water on the fruits every afternoon to save their yields, he said.
Excessive use of hormone can also be a cause of developing cracks on the fruits, he added.
DAE sources said litchi is cultivated on approximately 605 hectares of land in Thakurgaon and there are 1,200 commercial orchards in the district.
A full grown tree generally produces 3,000 to 8,000 pieces of litchi every season for 50 years, officials said.