Gurudaspur (Natore) Representative.
The time to pick mangoes has not come yet. However, in the gardens, at the end of the scent of buds, I and the litchi cocoon began to catch. Mango and litchi pods are swaying in bunches in the month of Chaitra at the end of Falgun. Piercing the young tips of the tree, the small green cocoons in the gap between the green leaves seem to be swaying to the beat of the wind. The garden owners of this area are dreaming of the hope of that golden fruit.
Various gardens of Natore’s Gurudaspur upazila, mango and litchi trees around the house are decorated with its green fruits in a unique way. In a few days, the small pieces of mango litchi will turn into a full grain. The mango and litchi orchard farmers of Gurudaspur are busy in gardening keeping that golden dream in their hearts.
According to the Gurdaspur Agriculture Office, litchi is being cultivated in 410 hectares of land and mango in 192 hectares of land in Gurudaspur alone this year. About 90 percent of the mango-litchi orchards are going to be transformed into full grains. Orchard owners, agriculturists, farmers have hoped that if there is no major natural calamity and the weather is favorable, this time the bumper yield of mango litchi will be.
Md. Sakhawat Ali Mollah, owner of litchi orchard in Nazirpur union of the upazila, said that about 20 workers are busy taking care of the trees in the garden and yard. It has about 15 small and big orchards including litchi and mango. Starting from the buds of the tree, 10 to 15 workers are working round the clock so that there is no problem.
Orchard owners say that if the weather is favorable and there are no major natural calamities, the mango litchi will have a good yield this season. And for this reason, the farmers are busy in gardening with hope.
In this regard, Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Harunar Rashid said that the farmers are being given proper advice and care in mango and litchi cultivation. It is recommended to spray fungicide regularly before buds and after cocooning. Farmers are also being encouraged to cultivate mango, litchi and other crops using organic pesticides and phelomon traps.
