A good number of farmers of Sadullapur, Palashbari and Gobindaganj upazilas under the district are now cultivating litchi, switching from traditional crops like paddy, jute or wheat as the popular summer fruit brings better profit.

Besides, the fruit cultivation eventually requires less effort as after initial investment for planting saplings in orchards and nursing for a couple of years, the mature trees yield fruits for many years.

During the ongoing peak harvesting season, traders from other districts are coming to collect the fruit from gardens in the area.

Visiting Chandipur village in Gobindaganj upazila, this correspondent saw the family members of litchi growers collecting fruits from orchards, making bundles each with a hundred pieces of ripe fruit and putting it into bamboo cases for wholesale.

At least 20 families of the village are involved in litchi farming for the last five years, growing hybrid, Bombai, Chaina-3 and Bedana varieties of the fruit although litchi tree was seen rarely in the area only a few years ago.

"I started litchi cultivation seven years ago. Now I have 30 trees on 25 decimals of land. This season I earned Tk 50,000 from selling litchi and expect Tk 30,000 more from remaining fruits in the orchard," said Abdur Rahim of Chandipur village.

"Instead of chemicals for controlling pests and diseases, we use natural elements like ash or herbal pesticide and getting good result. A big litchi tree produces 6,000 to 8,000 fruits yearly, while a medium size tree gives 4,000 to 5,000 fruits," said Afsal Hossain, another grower.

Chemical-free litchi has good demand in the market and price is also higher as consumers are now much aware, said locals.

Earlier in the season, litchi sold for Tk 200 to Tk 250 per hundred pieces, but now the price ranges from Tk 150 to Tk 200, they said.

"In Gaibandha district, over a thousand hectares of land has been brought under fruit cultivation, mostly mango and litchi. We provide the growers all possible help for better yield and motivate them not to use chemicals on fruits," said AKM Ruhul Amin, deputy director, the Department of Agriculture Extension, Gaibandha.