In Malda district in India, mango and litchi production are moving in different directions this season. Local growers often remark that when mango performs well, litchi tends to decline. This year, weather conditions have supported mango flowering, while litchi orchards are facing reduced fruit formation.
Across the district, mango orchards are showing abundant blossoms. Farmers report that trees are full of mukul (flower buds), raising expectations for higher production if weather conditions remain stable during the coming months.
Officials from the district horticulture department said that even if a quarter of the mango blossoms survive, Malda could record high mango production this year.
Conditions in litchi orchards are different. Instead of producing blossoms, many trees have developed new leaves, which limits fruit formation. According to horticulture officials, weather fluctuations during the flowering stage disrupted blossom development.
"Only about 50 per cent of the litchi trees have produced blossoms this year. The rest have developed tender leaves instead of flowers due to weather fluctuations," said Samanta Layek, Deputy Director of the district horticulture department. "Early rainfall before winter triggered vegetative growth in the trees, which prevented flowering."
The situation has created concern among litchi growers, particularly those who financed cultivation through loans.
Malda is the second-largest litchi-producing district in West Bengal after Murshidabad. The district grows several varieties, including the "Bombai" litchi, mainly cultivated in the Kaliachak region. These litchis are exported to international markets.
According to the horticulture department, litchi cultivation in the district covers about 1,553 hectares this year, around 50 hectares more than last season. The largest concentration of orchards is located in the three Kaliachak blocks, followed by Ratua and English Bazar.
Malda produced about 8,900 tons of litchi last year. Officials estimate that production this season may fall to between 5,000 and 6,000 tons.
"Litchi cultivation is in a difficult situation this year, and farmers may incur heavy losses," said Ujjwal Saha, president of the Malda Mango Merchant Association. "But the good news is that mango orchards are full of blossoms. If there is no natural calamity, Malda may see a record mango harvest."
Horticulture officials are advising growers to protect existing blossoms through irrigation and pest control measures.
Source: Millennium Post
