Earthquakes measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale on April 25 and subsequent tremors in the region of litchi isle of north Bihar, particularly Muzaffarpur, have proved disastrous for the expected bumper production.

This year, farmers engaged in the decade-old cultivation litchi have suffered an estimated loss of Rs 200 crore. Litchi trees shivered and trembled owing to which the fruits simply dropped to the ground, believe experts.

Scientists of National Centre for Litchi Research suspect that the tremors might have obstructed the nutrition source of the trees. As a result, the fruits failed to flourish further.

The experts are already conducting studies on the orchard ground and the roots of the plants. The director of the centre, Vishalnath, said scientists would look in to nutritional source at the time of its ripening. Cultivated across 28,000 hectares in the state, the usual yield is around four lakh tonnes but this year, it has hardly touched the one-lakh tonne mark.

A host of progressive farmers and litchi growers - Bholanath Jha, Bhawani Shankar, Prem Kumar Sinha, Kailash Prasad Singh and Shambhu Nath Choubey - sent a petition to Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh to mitigate their plight.

"Traders from outside the state, who paid in advance to buy the fruits are no longer interested, leaving the growers in the lurch. The fruits were also affected with a disease called top borer," said Shambhu Nath Choubey of Kanti village.

The farmers have also threatened to cut down litchi trees if the centre fails to help them with better scientific ways to improve quality and production. The tillers alleged that the centre has failed to deliver the goods. "We still grope in the darkness for scientific methods of farming, as there is none to guide us," said Bolanath Jha of Jhapha village.

Jha added: "The scientists of the centre prefer to remain in their air-conditioned chambers instead of going to the orchards. Farmers are livid over the dismal production and subsequent lethargic approach of the scientists to provide technical tips for further cultivation, laments Bhawani Shankar.

A senior scientist of the centre told The Telegraph that following the tremors, trees got detached from nutritional source.

Farmers put forth several reasons behind low production, including disturbance of nutritional source.

A delegation of farmers would meet the Union minister by June 20.