Brahmanbaria is witnessing a bumper yield of juicy litchis this year, with Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) estimating a total production of 2,000 tonnes valued around Tk30 crore.
Farmers attributed the successful harvest to favourable weather conditions and minimal disruption from storms and rain during the growing season.
According to DAE, litchis were cultivated on 650 hectares of land across the district, with yield obtained from 555 hectares.
The cultivation is primarily concentrated in the hilly terrains of the border upazilas of Bijoynagar, Akhaura, and Kasba. Bijoynagar alone accounts for 450 hectares of the total cultivation area.
The upazila is renowned nationwide for its sweet and succulent litchis, grown in over a thousand orchards across areas including Paharpur, Bishnupur, Kanchonpur, Khatinga, Kashimpur, Singerbil, Champaknagar, Kalachhara, Merashani, Kamal Mora, Nurpur, Harashpur, Dhoranal, Mukundapur, Sejamura, Noagaon, Alipur, Chandpur, Kashinagar, Chhaturpur, Rupa, Shantamora, Kamalpur, Kachuamora, and Viti Daudpur.
Due to profitability, many farmers are now converting traditional paddy fields into litchi orchards.
Rafiqul Islam Helal, a local grower, said varieties such as Patnai, Bombay, China-3, and Elachi are being cultivated, with Elachi and China-3 being larger in size.
He noted that affordable fertilisers and pesticides, coupled with good weather, boosted production.
However, continuous rainfall for several days before Eid caused nearly 20 per cent of the fruit to crack or fall, resulting in some losses for the growers.
While litchis in other parts of the country hit the market in mid-April, the Bijoynagar variety typically arrives in mid-May.
Aulia Bazar in Paharpur Union serves as the upazila’s largest trading hub. Litchi farmer Nasir Uddin shared that around Tk50 lakh worth of litchis are traded there daily between dawn and 8am.
Wholesalers from Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Narsingdi, Bhairab, Noakhali, Chandpur, Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Sreemangal, Habiganj, Feni, and Dhaka frequent the market to transport the fruit across the country.
The vibrant orchards have also turned Bijoynagar into a temporary tourist destination. Visitors from district towns and as far as Dhaka flock to the gardens to enjoy the scenery and buy fresh fruit.
China-3 litchis are being sold at the orchards for Tk1,200 to Tk1,500 per hundred, while the Bombay variety fetches between Tk400 and Tk500. Tipu Sultan, a visitor from Dhaka, expressed his delight at the experience, mentioning he purchased a thousand litchis to take back to the capital.
Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Md Ashraful Alam said the agriculture department is providing regular training and monitoring to the orchard owners, ensuring no harmful pesticides are used.
Mostafa Emran Hossain, deputy director of Brahmanbaria DAE, confirmed that the yield has exceeded the initial target due to the high quality of the soil. “The market value of this year’s harvest is estimated at around Tk30 crore,” he added.
