Rather than chase a job, Akram Ali, a third-year Bangla honours student at Begum Rokeya University, has built up a papaya plot and a nursery alongside his studies. This year the young man from Hamidpur in Parbatipur upazila, Dinajpur, planted 480 papaya trees on 43 decimals of land in two stages.
The first stage was 300 seedlings of the Top Lady variety on 25 decimals, the second 180 more on 18 decimals. The first stage cost him about Tk 50,000 to Tk 60,000. Trees planted in mid-April began yielding in mid-October. Prices are relatively low at present, but he expects to sell about Tk 2.5 lakh worth of papaya over the season, and if the trees bear again next year, another Tk 70,000 to Tk 1 lakh.
It did not start well. Last year he tried papaya for the first time on about 18 decimals and did not get the yield or profit he hoped for. This year he paid close attention to the choice of land, planting, fertiliser, irrigation and care. The most important thing, he says, is suitable land, because waterlogging harms papaya trees: good drainage and regular disease control are needed.
He is also raising local and foreign fruit and flower seedlings in the nursery, with his parents helping with care and irrigation. Several people have become interested in papaya after seeing his plot, he says. But he believes new entrepreneurs need more training, farm advice, technology and government support.
Khairul Islam Palash, an assistant professor in the university's Bangla department, said many farmers lack adequate knowledge of modern technology, and that the sector would advance if students applied research findings in the field.
Photo: Judgefloro / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Source: Agricare24
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