As summer gives way to monsoon, nature is now full of seasonal fruit. The mango, jamun and jackfruit seasons are nearing their end. At this very time, another familiar and nutrient-rich fruit — wood-lychee — is drawing attention in local markets in Magura’s Shalikha. Depending on the region, it is also known as “ashphal” or “peachphal.”
Wood-lychee is currently seen in large supply at various rural markets across Shalikha upazila. Like lychee, its skin must be peeled to eat the white flesh inside. It is sweet and juicy, though its seed is comparatively larger. The fruit is especially popular among children.
This fruit, once left to grow untended along roadsides, in home yards or on abandoned land, once had little commercial value. But that picture has changed over time. As demand and market prices for wood-lychee have risen, many are now focusing on tending older trees, while interest in planting new saplings is also growing.
During the fruit-ripening season, many growers can be seen covering trees with mosquito netting to protect them from bats and various birds. This has become a familiar sight across villages in Shalikha upazila.
Shahidul Islam, a resident of Arpara union at the upazila headquarters and a wood-lychee buyer, said wood-lychee was not this popular before. But demand has grown considerably over the past few years. “My children love this fruit. It’s also cheaper than lychee. That’s why many people are now interested in planting this tree,” he said.
Rostom Kazi, a seasonal fruit trader from Pukuria village in the same union, said sales of wood-lychee pick up as soon as the lychee season ends. Although it isn’t cultivated commercially on a large scale, it has strong demand in local markets. Depending on size and quality, each bunch sells for Tk 20 to 30. He said the fruit would remain available in markets for about another month.
Asked about the nutritional value of wood-lychee, Shalikha upazila health and family planning officer Dr. Saimun Nisa said the fruit is not only delicious but also nutrient-rich. It contains plenty of carbohydrates, minerals and vitamin C. Eating it regularly in moderate amounts helps boost the body’s immunity. It also acts as a preventive against various seasonal illnesses.
Once a neglected fruit, wood-lychee has now become a promising seasonal crop for Shalikha’s rural economy. According to locals, if cultivation and marketing can be organized more systematically, this fruit could become an important, profitable source of income for farmers in the future, opening up a new horizon of possibilities.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report