Bijoynagar records bumper litchi yield

Brahmanbaria's Bijoynagar upazila recorded a bumper harvest of 1,700 tonnes of litchi from 630 hectares of land this season.

Litchi growers are expecting to generate over Tk 25 crore in sales of the juicy summer fruit.

According to the upazila agriculture office, more than 300 litchi orchards are spread across at least 25 villages in the upazila, growing popular varieties including Deshi, Patnai, Bombai, and China, turning the region a growing hub of litchi production and trade.

Visiting the local markets such as Awlia Bazar, Champaknagar Bazar, Kankoriya, and Mirashani Bazar recently, this correspondent observed that traders from Dhaka, Sylhet, Cumilla, Bhairab, and beyond have gathered to procure litchi wholesale and transport those to different places across the country.

Traders said litchis worth around Tk 15-20 lakh are sold daily across the markets in the upazila.

Litchis grown in Bijoynagar's red soil are prized for their taste and quality, making them a favourite across the country, they added.

"The weather condition has been favourable this year. A total 85 trees in my orchard bore fruits. The yield is good, though it could have been better without the early-season drought. Nonetheless, the high market price is making up for it," said Dulal Mia of Paharpur village.

Masud Miah from Bishnupur village echoed him.

Many farmers are selling litchis straight from their orchards for Tk 3,000–3,500 per thousand pieces due to high demand.

"The soil and climate in Bijoynagar are ideal for litchi cultivation. We are continuing support to farmers at the field level to ensure sustainable growth. We're working towards a more planned expansion of litchi cultivation in the region," said Md Ziaul Islam, upazila agriculture officer in Bijoynagar.