Home ›› 05 Oct 2021 ›› Nation
Md Sadek Miah, a farmer from Cumilla’s Brahmanpara upazila, opted for green malta farming three years back and found success in the Bari-01 variety of the fruit.
He is getting a massive yield and securing a good profit this season.
During a recent visit, this correspondent saw a good number of the juicy fruits hanging in bunches from small boughs at Sadek’s malta orchard. He is harvesting 150-180 fruits from each of his 250 malta trees. He said one kilogramme of the fruit gets sold for Tk 180-200.
The orchard built on lowlands can easily be distinguished as each tree is five to six feet high.
Sadek’s orchard is now a source of inspiration for other farmers in the area.
He said he had not achieved this level of success in just a day or two.
“I received 110 saplings of green malta Bari-01 variety from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in 2018 and planted those on 10 decimals of fallow land behind my house,” he said.
“I borrowed some money and invested in my orchard in 2018. With the yield of the first year, I made a profit and paid back my loans. I made a profit of Tk 1,60,000 last year, and this year I am expecting Tk 2,50,000,” he further said.
“I expanded my orchard to 20 decimals of land. I already sold malta worth Tk 50,000 this season,” he added.
Seeing his success, many farmers of the district are getting interested in malta farming, DAE sources said.
“The youth and farmers regularly visit my orchard and ask for advice on how to establish their orchards,” he said.
Mizanur Rahman, a former union parishad chairman in the upazila, told The Business Post Sadek’s endeavour had proved that the soil of Cumilla is suitable for cultivating the foreign fruit.
“I am planning to cultivate the fruit in my backyard,” he said.
Explaining his journey, Sadek told The Business Post he had to think outside the box as he was concerned about the high production costs and low selling prices of fruits belonging to local species.
That is why he decided to opt for farming a fruit species that would require less transportation costs and yet could be sold for higher prices in the market. Thus, he went for malta farming – a comparatively new addition to Bangladesh’s agricultural sector.
Abul Kashem, a trader who came to Sadek’s orchard to buy fresh green malta, told The Business Post they had no idea that this foreign fruit could be grown in Cumilla.
He said Sadek had not only changed their views but also provided a chance to locals to taste the juicy fruit at reasonable costs.
“The malta grown in Sadek’s orchard is juicy, sweet, and aromatic. It has great demand among locals,” he added.
Seeing Sadek’s interest, the DAE donated 110 saplings of the Bari-01 variety of green malta to him in 2018 under the National Agricultural Technology Programme, said Md Mahbubul Hasan, upazila agricultural officer of Brahmanpara.
“We regularly inspect Sadek’s orchard and provide necessary advice, suggestions, and assistance. We are also encouraging other farmers to opt for malta farming,” he added.
