Litchi trees in bloom, hopes for good harvest in Rajshahi

Although the Rajshahi region is famous for mangoes, litchi also holds a special appeal. While mangoes are cultivated on several thousand hectares of land, litchi farming is comparatively limited. Though more litchi is grown in Dinajpur and Ishwardi, Rajshahi's litchi enjoys a strong reputation. A short-season fruit, litchi-with its pink hue, juicy and fleshy round shape- is loved by almost every fruit enthusiast. At one time, litchi was widely cultivated in both urban and rural areas of Rajshahi.

However, due to rapid development, many litchi trees have disappeared, and the number of orchards has significantly declined. Some orchards still remain in Paba upazila. For various reasons, litchi cultivation is decreasing. In the existing orchards, farmers are increasingly cultivating hybrid varieties, which are larger in size and juicier. Over the past two seasons, adverse weather conditions led to poor yields and low prices. This year, however, litchi trees in the orchards have begun to blossom. Typically, litchi trees bloom in early February, and the fruit becomes ready for market by late May or the first week of June. Litchi growers take care of their trees throughout the year for this brief harvest period.

From the fruit setting, it takes only two to three months for litchi to become market-ready. If farmers fail to sell their produce at profitable prices within this short window, they face irreparable losses. Since litchi is highly perishable, timely marketing is the biggest challenge. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in the Rajshahi region, litchi is cultivated on 1,701 hectares of land this year across Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore and Chapainawabganj districts. There are 213,280 trees in total, with 43 percent already in bloom. Among these districts, the highest litchi cultivation is in Natore and Rajshahi. In Rajshahi, litchi is grown on 528 hectares of land with 449,345 trees, of which 42 percent have blossomed, so far. In Natore, litchi is cultivated on 887 hectares with 102,257 trees, and 54 percent of them have bloomed.

In Naogaon, there are 52,213 trees on 171 hectares of land, with 33 percent in bloom. In Chapainawabganj, 9,465 trees are grown on 115 hectares of land which 44 percent have blossomed. Within the division, the highest litchi cultivation takes place in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna district. Nearly 3,100 acres of land in this upazila are under litchi cultivation, with around 11,270 orchards of various sizes. Abdul Hakim, a litchi grower from Jiupura area of Puthia upazila, said that the number of blossoms is higher this year. Business was poor over the past two years due to adverse weather. In 2024, there was excessive drought and in 2025, heavy rainfall caused significant damage.

If no natural disaster occurs this season and proper care is ensured, a good yield is expected. A little rainfall at this time would have improved the blossoms further, he added. Zubayer Rahman, a litchi farmer from Ranihat area of Paba upazila, said that blossoms have started appearing on his 40 trees over the past few days. Every year, litchi trees bloom in February, and the fruit is marketed by late May or early June. However, despite the short harvest season, the trees require year-round care.

The fruit will be ready for market in about three months, he added. If farmers fail to sell at profitable prices during that period, they will suffer irreparable losses. Even if the yield is promising, the biggest challenge this season will be timely marketing of the highly perishable fruit. Dr. Azizur Rahman, additional director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Rajshahi region, said Rajshahi litchi has a strong reputation. Its unmatched taste and aroma create high demand.

Litchi cultivation is highly profitable, though yields vary from season to season. However, the overall area under cultivation is increasing every year. The early withdrawal of monsoon at the end of last year, along with the current cool nights and relatively warm days, has created favorable conditions for litchi cultivation, the DAE official said, adding, "If the weather remains favorable, a bumper harvest is expected this year."