Uttaranchal all set to increase litchi yield

The Agri Export Development Unit (AEDU), Uttaranchal is gearing up for summer.

As litchi is a top agenda for the department, it has decided to invite experts from different fields like pathology, entomology and horticulture to some of its litchi orchards in Dehra Dun and Ramnagar, the two hubs of the delicious crop.

"We are inviting experts to our orchards so that we can prepare for a good crop," said AIDU Manager Deepti Gupta.

Agriculture experts C P Singh, R L Lal and Gajendra Singh from the Pantnagar Agriculture University are visiting the orchards in Dehra Dun for two days from March 17. They would later see the conditions in the Ramnagar orchards.

These experts will hold training sessions exclusively for the farmers to enhance litchi growth, Gupta said.

Due to scanty rainfall during the winter, the AEDU is not expecting a bumper crop in the coming season. "We have had less rainfall and naturally it would reflect on the litchi crop," Gupta said. When contacted, Uttaranchal Met Department Director Anand Sharma said it was too early to predict anything.

With the litchi growing area expected to reach 7070 hectares in the state, the government is hopeful of producing 9000 metric tonnes of litchi in the coming season. Already, the state horticulture department has set a target of 100 metric tonnes for litchi export.

The government has made an announcement for setting up an export zone for litchi in Ramnagar and Dehra Dun. Litchi is being cultivated in the state since time immemorial. Due to poor economic conditions and unorganised marketing, most of the farmers lease out their orchards to contractors for two-three years.