20 crore worth of litchi sales in Vijayanagar

In Vijayanagar upazila of Brahmanbaria this time too there has been a good yield of litchi. However, due to the intense heat, litchi has become smaller in size, garden owners said. They complained that the agriculture officials never came to the garden and did not cooperate with them.

According to the agriculture officer, 430 hectares of litchi have been planted in the upazila this year. There are more than 900 litchi gardens. As the weather conditions are favourable, a sales target of Tk 20 crore has been set for litchi.

Vijaynagar upazila of Brahmanbaria bordering India. All kinds of vegetables and fruits are produced well in this upazila. Especially the delicious litchi here is famous all over Bangladesh.

It is known that litchi cultivation started in this upazila about 50 years ago. Due to lack of space and labor, local farmers started litchi business.

According to the sources of Agriculture Extension Department of Vijaynagar Upazila, Bishnupur, Kanchanpur, Kashimpur, Singarbil, Adampur, Kalachra, Merashani, Sejamura, Kamalmura, Harshpur, Mukundpur, Noagaon, Alipur, Kashinagar, Chaturpur, Bakhtarmura, Rupa, Shantamura, Kamalpur, Kachuamura, Goalnagar, Vittidaupur, Pattan, areas have litchi plantations. Also, almost everyone in the upazila has a litchi tree in their house. Those who have little space in their houses, also plant litchi trees. These trees yield Patnai, Bombay, China 3, China-2 and Elachi types of litchi.

Auliya market is known as the biggest market of the upazila. Also most litchis are sold in Singerbil, Harshpur, Champaknagar markets. From these markets, traders from Brahmanbaria, Comilla, Narsingdi, Bhairab, Noakhali, Chandpur, Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Habiganj, Shaestaganj, Kishoreganj, Srimangal, Feni and the capital Dhaka bought litchi at a bargain price.

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (May 24), the garden owners were busy taking care of the trees.

Speaking about Paharpur Union resident of Kachuamura village and working in Bangladesh Army sergeant Md. Iqbal Hussain Titu said, 'I have 43 litchi trees in my two gardens. Due to drought and lack of rain, the size of my litchi is a little smaller this year. This year, we expect to sell litchi worth 3 lakh taka.'

He also said, 'The season of litchi is actually when I take leave from the office and take care of the garden. Everyone in my office knows I love gardening. At the end of the holiday, take the litchi from the garden for everyone in the office. Everyone is happy. No official of upazila or union agriculture office came to my garden.

The garden owner of Sejamura village. Asad Bhuiyan said, 'I have 124 trees in 6 gardens. The tree has yielded a lot of litchi this year. Due to the heat, the size of litchi has become a little smaller. I am hopeful that this year I will be able to sell 10 lakh rupees worth of litchi.

When asked if he received any advice or help from the Agriculture Office, Asad lamented, “I have never seen an official from the Agriculture Office come to our garden to take information.”

Vijaynagar upazila agriculture officer Shabbir Ahmed said that 430 hectares of litchi have been planted in the upazila this year. There are more than 900 litchi gardens. This year, a target of 20 crore litchi sales has been set.

In response to the question that all the garden agriculture officers of the upazila do not go for supervision, he said, we need 30 officers in the upazila. There are 18 people. Not all gardens can be supervised due to lack of manpower.