RN Desk: Abdul Karim, a resident of Mujguni village in Shyamkur Union, Monirampur Upazila, Jessore, has earned over Tk. 50 lakh annually from his orchard of three fruit varieties—Malta, Orange, and Jujube (Boroi).

This year alone, he earned:
✅ Tk. 28 lakh from selling Malta & Orange
✅ Tk. 20 lakh  from Jujube
✅ Tk. 1 lakh 20 thousand from selling fruit saplings

Inspired by his success, many locals are now venturing into Malta, orange, and jujube farming.

From Poultry Farming to Fruit Orchards

After completing HSC, Abdul Karim initially started a poultry farm, but he suffered a huge loss due to a bird flu outbreak. Following advice from his friend, Agriculture Officer Mrityunjoy Roy, he shifted to Malta and orange farming.

He started his first orchard on 22 decimals of land, and after two and a half years, he began to see profits. Now, his orchard spans 27.5 bighas (9 acres), with:
✅ 5.5 bighas of Malta trees
✅ 2.5 bighas of Chinese orange trees
✅ 20 bighas of Jujube (Boroi) cultivation

Starting with Just 150 Saplings

Abdul Karim shared his journey, saying:
*”In late 2013, I purchased 125 Malta and 25 orange saplings from the Khulna Agricultural Research Institute, costing Tk. 100-250  per sapling depending on size. I started getting yields after 1.5 years. So far, I have harvested eight times. Initially, expenses and income were balanced, but the second year brought Tk. 250,000  in profit, and the following year, it doubled. In *2024, I earned Tk. 28 lakh from Malta and oranges alone.”

A Profitable Orchard

A field visit to Abdul Karim’s farm revealed golden-yellow Malta and oranges hanging from the trees. Visitors from various locations come to see his farm and purchase saplings.

He stated, “My orchard started on 22 decimals, but now it has expanded to 27.5 bighas. The majority (20 bighas) is for Jujube (Boroi) cultivation, alongside Malta and oranges.”

Investment & Returns

When asked about costs, he explained:
Malta & Orange Farming Costs (per bigha): Tk. 60,000–80,000
Annual Sales (per bigha): Nearly Tk. 4 lakh

✅ Last year, he earned Tk. 20 lakh from Jujube (Boroi)
✅ This year, he expects similar profits, despite lower yields due to weather

Challenges in Orange Farming

He mentioned that orange farming is challenging, but the profit outweighs the costs. This year, he sold four tons of oranges at Tk. 130–170  per kg.

“Although our oranges are not as bright as imported ones, they are larger and tastier,” he said.

Cultivation & Care Techniques

Abdul Karim follows scientific farming techniques, including:
✅ Organic & chemical fertilizers
✅ Pesticides & fungicides as per agricultural research guidelines
✅ Special bacterial solutions to kill harmful bacteria
✅ Shading during summer to protect fruits

Flowering starts in February, and fruits are ready by November

Selling Saplings Nationwide

For the past six years, he has been selling Malta and orange saplings to farmers across Bangladesh. This year, he sold saplings worth Tk. 12 lakh

His farm employs 15 full-time workers and 5–6 seasonal workers, handling weeding, spraying, fertilizing, and harvesting.

Agricultural Department’s Support

Monirampur Upazila Agriculture Officer Rituraj Sarkar acknowledged Abdul Karim’s success, stating:

“Inspired by him, many others in Monirampur have started Malta farming, including Afzal Hossain from Shyamkur Union, Billal Hossain from Monirampur Municipality, and Habibur Rahman from Chaluahati. Our department provides them with full support.”

Abdul Karim’s success proves that fruit orchards can be highly profitable if managed scientifically and sustainably.