Commercial cultivation of avocado, the famous fruit of Mexico and Central America, has begun in the hill district of Bandarban, bringing a message of new possibility. With success in growing this nutritious fruit, which is in high demand on international markets, interest among the district's farmers and entrepreneurs is rising day by day.

Because the region's favourable weather, uneven land and good drainage suit avocado, many see the fruit as a promising new addition to Bandarban's agriculture.

Avocado is known around the world as a superfood. It contains healthy unsaturated fat, fibre, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E and various antioxidants. Its benefits in reducing the risk of heart disease, controlling cholesterol, managing weight and protecting skin and hair are widely discussed among nutritionists, so its popularity is rising fast among health-conscious people in the country.

According to local sources, the fruit from Mexico and Central America is now widely grown in many countries. In Bangladesh it is still grown on a limited scale, but in Bandarban some farmers and entrepreneurs who planted trees on a trial basis are getting positive results, and many are now moving to set up commercial avocado orchards.

Many people in various upazilas of the district have already planted avocado trees. Some orchards have begun to bear fruit and it is being sold in local markets on a limited scale. As demand for avocado rises in large hotels, restaurants and shopping malls, farmers see it as a profitable fruit.

Avocado fetches a much higher market price than other common fruits, and a mature tree gives a considerable amount of fruit a year. Growers say good profits will be possible if marketing improves and quality saplings become easily available.

Romeo Marma, a resident of Betchhara in Rowangchhari, said that four years ago he bought 12 avocado saplings at Tk 700 each from the tree fair at Agargaon in Dhaka as a hobby and planted them. Seven of the trees have fruited, and a single tree can yield 15-20 kg, he said. He has planted another 100 avocado saplings this year.

Iftekhar Selim Agni, owner of Dipto Agro, said he grows malta, orange, year-round drumstick (sajna), cashew, chuijhal and other crops on 100 acres in the Jarulia area of Naikhongchhari upazila in Bandarban. Four years ago he also planted 1,000 Indian avocado saplings, and this year more than about 200 trees have fruited as hoped. The fruit will be ready to harvest in two months, and high-end hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and many other interested buyers have already begun to contact him, he said.

According to the Bandarban office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), most farmers in the district were once limited to jhum cultivation, but interest is now growing in dragon fruit, malta, orange, coffee, various foreign mango varieties, rambutan, avocado and other high-value local and foreign fruits. The region is gradually entering an era of modern agriculture.

Mishuk Marma, sub-assistant agriculture officer of the DAE in Bandarban, said that because the soil and weather favour farming, non-traditional crops and high-value or foreign crops are now being grown in the district alongside the usual ones. As avocado has not yet been grown on a large scale, it is kept in the "other 5 per cent" crop group, he said, adding that growers will be given any advice and help they need.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.