Huge potential for coffee cultivation in Bangladesh

Idris Ali is trimming the upward branches in his coffee plantation in Ruma region of Bandarban. Coffee plants cannot be longer than 5-5.50 feet. Apart from this, the branches of the trees which are parallel to the ground are being corrected. Good crops are obtained from the branches parallel to the ground. Idris Ali said, “Before this, tobacco cultivation was more prevalent. Now people are turning to coffee cultivation. I have heard that people in northern areas have started coffee cultivation instead of tobacco cultivation. We are hoping that coffee farming will change our fortunes. My son will also reap benefits from the tree that I have planted. We can do this from generation to generation. So from now on I am teaching my son coffee farming. Because, coffee tree once planted can yield for up to 50-60 years if properly cared for.”

The soil, water and climate of Bangladesh are such that any crop, including coffee can be grown here. This is the special feature of this country. This highly valuable beverage is making the farmers of Bengal dream anew as well as helping them become confident in themselves. But how? In addition to Bandarban, 19 more districts cultivate coffee. Recently the government has been giving importance, about commercial coffee plantation.

When the body is tired, many people drink coffee to have a shot of energy or to get refreshed. Coffee, usually consumed after breakfast burns body fat, increases metabolism, and instantly increases human performance. Studies reveal that coffee boosts brain function.

Research shows that drinking 2-5 cups of coffee daily prevents liver cancer, type-2 diabetes and heart attacks. It reduces Parkinson’s disease and depression. Drinking coffee regularly can reduce the risk of an early death, according to some experts. A goat herder named Khaldi discovered the first coffee forest in Ethiopia around the 9th century. It was originally called Kafa because the first coffee plant was discovered in the Kafa province of southern Ethiopia. Later it came to be named coffee. In the 16th century in the Middle East, coffee was used as an aid to increase concentration. However, coffee was first consumed as a social drink in Britain in the seventeenth century.

Brazil and Colombia produce the most amount of coffee. Coffee culture is very popular in Italy. Around the world, coffee is still being researched. So there are few drinks that can compete with coffee in variety and taste. Bangladesh has already made a name in the world of coffee.

Coffee grown on the banks of Boga Lake in Bandarban has been classified as one of the best in the world by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for its quality. This is a great achievement for a nation that has just entered the world of coffee cultivation. It can be understood that there is a huge potential for coffee cultivation in this country.

How did this journey begin? The hills of Bandarban are inhabited by Baum, Lusai, Tripura and other tribes. Around 1985-88, the missionary fathers in those areas brought coffee from their country and offered them to visitors. Some of them would like to bring coffee seeds and plant them in the land. Besides, many of those tribals of Bandarban often travelled to and from Mizoram, India. After bringing coffee seeds from there, they planted them in the ground and saw that plants grew. In this way the tribals generally cultivated coffee in the hills. Local agriculture officials took note of the matter. They realized that there is potential for coffee cultivation here. In the early 1990s, coffee seeds were given to some farmers at the initiative of the Zilla Parishad. When they produced yield, the farmers manually prepared coffee from it and sold it in the local market. This is how it started.

The demand for coffee in the country has been increasing for several years. In 2019, the agriculture minister Dr. Abdur Razzaq attended the Rajpunyah festival, a traditional festival of Bohmong Circle Chief.

At that time, local officers of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) presented a presentation about the potential of coffee cultivation in Bandarban and other hill districts. This brought the matter to the attention of the government. The marketing of coffee there has started for the last three to four years. A research project was also launched in this regard. Then a nationwide 3-year project was started. In Bandarban, Zilla Parishad started coffee cultivation with 126 hectares of land, but now it is being cultivated in another 300 hectares of land.

In the meantime, the demand for drinking coffee is increasing day by day.

Local market will be created if it is cultivated here. Statistics show that Bangladesh imports coffee worth Tk 400-500 crore annually from abroad. However, if a project of Tk 150-200 crore is taken up here, the country’s money will remain in the country. If it is possible to increase the production, it can even be exported abroad.

Coffee is a high value crop. It earns $30 billion a year in the international market. Vietnam alone earns 4-5 billion dollars. Its market is always strong. Therefore, even if we cannot earn from exports, even if we can meet the domestic demand, the money of the country will be saved.

Generally, coffee grows best in mountainous areas at least 500 meters above sea level. Three hilly areas have fallow land at 700-1200 or 1500 m altitude. No separate land is required for coffee cultivation. Coffee can be grown as an inter-crop in mango orchards or any other orchard. There is no need to provide separate shade if coffee is grown in a shaded area. A slightly acidic soil and a pH of 4.4-5.5 is required. Coffee grows best in a shadowy place, with a little bit of light and shade.

All of these criteria are found in the hilly areas. Coffee plants also prevent erosion and are an excellent crop for the environment. Robusta and Arabica coffee are commonly cultivated in Bangladesh. These coffees are in great demand in the international market. Coffee is currently being cultivated in 19 districts including Tangail, Moulvibazar, Nilphamari, Khagrachari, Rangamati, etc. It is said that the government will give importance to the hilly areas as coffee usually grows better in the hilly areas. Coffee can also be grown in plains. But the yield is low.

Farmers say that they are facing a number of challenges regarding coffee cultivation. As most of the gardens are located in remote areas of hilly districts these are difficult to reach at times. When tending the trees or harvesting the fruits, there are problems to carry equipment there. Usually these plants do not need irrigation, but if there is no rain in March and April, irrigation should be done. Irrigation in the hills is very difficult. Coffee cultivation is completely new. Farmers still do not have enough knowledge about this and are not yet skilled enough.

However, efforts are being made at the government level to make coffee farming successful in the country. Farmers say that although they are new to this, the agriculture officials are helping them a lot. The government will purchase all the automatic machines required for coffee processing for 150 groups of farmers. Each group will be formed by a few farmers, who will be responsible for preparing and marketing the coffee locally. But the whole matter will be under the control of the government.

All the ongoing projects of the government will go into production in two to three years. The government says that if everything goes well, it will be possible to meet the demand of coffee in the country within the next five years. If the production can be increased then it can be exported later. Exporting coffee abroad is not difficult if you can fulfill the type of compliance required to send coffee abroad.

Globally coffee cultivation and production are carried out scientifically. It is continually upgrading and changing. With time, our coffee farmers will have to catch up with changing trends. Farmers must be given the required seeds, tools for caring for coffee plants, and supplies for processing coffee. To cultivate quality coffee, they need specialized training. They must be made to become skilled in this area. This needs to be made clear to them. The officials involved in this effort therefore also need to broaden their knowledge. It is also necessary to ensure that the coffee being produced in the country is ethical and healthy. The most important thing in this situation is to identify the type or variety of coffee that is most suited to the plains or hilly regions’ climate and environment and to plant it there after conducting an appropriate trial. This method of planting trees will result in good coffee production and a high yield. In this context, specialized research and monitoring are required.

Coffee is a very expensive drink. It can be seen that the price of a cup of coffee is 200-500 taka in many shops. Many people are selling coffee for 30-40 taka. Those concerned say that many importers are bringing raw coffee and coffee dust which is not suitable for human consumption from abroad and mixing it and selling it cheaply. The government should stop such imports. If this type of import continues, it will have a negative impact on the local market.

Realizing the potential of coffee production, entrepreneurs here are ready for coffee processing. Many of them have brought automatic machines from abroad for the plantations. A company called Northern processes coffee from Bandarban and sells it at Asad Gate area in Dhaka. Locals also sell coffee to tourists visiting Bandarban. For this initiative to be more widespread and its potential to be fully tapped into, all concerned need to be more proactive and sincere.

The writer is a freelance columnist. She can be contacted at [email protected]