Dragon fruit farming generates entrepreneurship in Rajshahi

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FE Team | Published: October 28, 2023 21:21:32

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RAJSHAHI, Oct 28 (BSS): Dragon fruit farming is gaining popularity in the region consisting of Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts, playing a pivotal role in gradually generating entrepreneurs there for the past 10 years.
Selling of the high-valued fruit has also risen side by side with increasing acreage.
Taking the advantage of less water and minimum irrigation cost, farmers are seen cultivating the fruit with more interest in the Barind area.
Commercial farming of dragon, a cactus species fruit, originally from Central America, South America, and nowadays common in Southeast Asia and China, is gaining popularity in the region gradually generating entrepreneurs.
As a whole, the cash crop is being judged as lucrative because it can be cultivated round the year.
Many enthusiastic farmers have developed themselves as successful entrepreneurs through the dragon fruit farming in the region after the best uses of its suitable climate condition and topography.
Shafiul Islam Mukta, a resident of Godagari upazila, said he has developed three dragon fruit orchards on 52 bighas of land in Gogram and Matikata areas.
He earned Tk2.7 million (27 lakh) last year and has also sold a dragon fruit at Tk200 to 400 per piece based on size, quality and colour in this season.
Relating to the production cost, he said around Tk 0.26 million (2.60 lakh) is required for cultivating dragon fruit on one bigha of land.
Abdul Matin, a farmer of Gofanagar village under Mohadevpur upazila in Naogaon, has set an example of becoming successful through dragon fruit farming in the area.
Asadul Islam Helal, another farmer of Bidirpur village under Godagari upazila, has exposed himself as a new successful entrepreneur in this field.
He had planted some dragon fruit seedlings being inspired with his long lasting hobby around five years back and subsequently he started farming on four acres of land in 2019 commercially.
"I have to spend around Tk 0.9 million (nine lakh) for the farming on each acre of land,"
said Helal while talking to the news agency on Thursday, adding that around one year's time is needed to get fruit since the planting of seedlings.
During the summer season, fruits are harvested from June to November. "I have already harvested and sold dragon fruits valued around Tk 1.6 million (16 lakh) during the current season," said Helal.
Currently, he has become a job-provider after leaving his institutional job earlier.
An orchard of dragon fruit has been created on seven bighas of land in Pirijpur
area under Godagari upazila on a joint venture namely Pirijpur Agro Farm Limited.
Shish Muhammad, a shareholder of the farm, said they are harvesting and selling dragon fruits on both online and in person and they are getting enormous response from the wholesalers and retailers.
Rafiqul Islam along with three of his friends first started to cultivate the fruit on an experimental basis in the Kendobona area under Nachole upazila in Chapainawabgonj district. After getting some profit, they became more interested in cultivating the profitable fruit on a large scale.
Rafiqul mentioned that the cultivation of the fruit is profitable and they are expecting good profit this year.
He said the cultivation process is not only easy but also the required investment is very low.
On behalf of the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) Project, various forms of cost-effective irrigation technologies like drip irrigation, fertigation and alternate furrow irrigation are being promoted for dragon fruit farming in the drought-prone Barind area to reduce the gradually mounting cost for irrigation besides boosting soil productivity.
IWRM Project Manager Jahangir Alam Khan said dragon fruit is suitable for everyone to eat.
Flesh and seeds are edible parts and they are eaten altogether. It supplies fibre which is digestive and helpful for a healthy liver. The rest of the fruit contains carbohydrates and water.
Shamsul Wadud, additional director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said dragon fruit farming has been gaining popularity in the region as it is profitable.
Dragon fruit farming has started making the agro-based economy vibrant as many people made fortune through it in the region, including its vast Barind tract, during the last couple of years.