Sylhet villager now a high-profile fruit farmer

SYLHET, July 13: What began as an experiment inspired by YouTube has grown into a flourishing orchard of grapes, Malta (a citrus fruit belonging to the sweet orange family) and seedless lemons for Hasan Ahmed, a farmer from Sylhet who has spent the past nine years proving that high-value fruits can be cultivated successfully in the region with proper soil management and dedication.

The 48-year-old farmer, a resident of Mirargaon village under Jalalpur union in Dakshin Surma upazila, now cultivates grapes, BARI Malta-1, Chinese seedless lemons and a variety of seasonal vegetables on his farm.

He has also established a rooftop garden at his home and operates a vermicompost unit to meet his own organic fertiliser needs.

Hasan recently completed this season's grape harvest for the first time, describing it as one of his biggest achievements. His vineyard includes varieties such as Black Magic, Baikonur (Ukraine) and Jupiter.

"I started grape cultivation about nine years ago with only three saplings as an experiment. Now I have around 80 grape plants in my nursery," Hasan said.

He said he regularly watches YouTube to learn modern farming techniques, although he believes growers should not blindly follow everything they see online.

"YouTube has helped me a lot, but farmers should verify information before applying it in their fields," he said.

Hasan often consults agriculture officials regarding soil conditions and suitable fruit varieties, but he also relies on practical experience to determine what works best.

"I discuss many issues with agriculture officers, but I also observe the results in my own field before making decisions," he added.

At the beginning of his journey, Hasan sought guidance from Jessore-based Malta farmer Abul Karim, who is well known through YouTube, and from Jhenaidah farmer Rana Ahmed. He remains in regular contact with both for technical advice.

His orchard currently has around 100 BARI Malta-1 trees producing good yields. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) also supplied him with another 40 BARI Malta saplings.

Besides Malta, Hasan has developed a seedless lemon orchard consisting of around 100 plants of 14 Chinese baromashi (year-round bearing) varieties. He also grows different vegetables throughout the year, most of which he shares with neighbours and relatives.

"I am not doing this mainly for commercial purposes. Farming is my passion. My late father always encouraged me, and his inspiration continues to motivate me," he said. To protect his orchards from heavy rainfall, a common challenge in Sylhet, Hasan uses mulching techniques to conserve soil health and reduce water-related damage.

"Sylhet receives much more rainfall than many other parts of the country. Mulching helps protect the plants during the rainy season," he explained. Hasan employs at least three workers on his farm throughout the year.His journey into agriculture came after an unusual career path. He worked as a madrasa teacher in Balaganj during the 1990s before moving to the United Kingdom in 2007, like many young people from Sylhet.

However, expatriate life did not satisfy him, and he returned home. After teaching at a high school for three years from 2013, he left the profession to devote himself fully to farming.

"When I first started grape cultivation, many people, including some agriculture officials, told me grapes could not be grown successfully in Sylhet because of its acidic soil. But I believed it was possible," Hasan recalled.

forsylhet@gmail.com