Growing local fruits commercially

Recently the media reported that the Ministry of Agriculture has made a big plan to increase commercial production of 70 local fruits. The plan involves a cost of about Tk.2.0 billion. Under the plan, the government will motivate farmland owners to develop gardens and orchards of local fruits for family consumption as well as sell them commercially.

The plan also includes supply of fruit plant saplings and other inputs, training of field level officials and training of interested farmers. We consume very negligible quantity of fruits that are urgently required for good health. After successful implementation of the plan, local fruits will be available in good quantity and at affordable prices. It will bring more revenues for the fruit growers than what they get producing traditional agricultural products like paddy, jute, sugar cane etc. The plan is very significant in more reasons than one. It should have been made much earlier. However, it is better late than never, as the saying goes.

I would like to thank all concerned in the Agriculture Ministry for preparing the important plan with the government's own fund.

Md Ashraf Hossaim

120, Central Bashabo, Dhaka-1214.