During the Covid pandemic, Md Ibrahim of Magura was confined at home with no work. He passed the time on Facebook and YouTube, until one day a video on dragon fruit farming caught his eye. He watched one video after another, grew interested in the crop and eventually began turning the idea he had seen online into reality.

Ibrahim started small. Now he has a dragon fruit orchard on 75 decimals of land, with red dragon fruit hanging from the plants. He is earning a profit from the harvest and sales, and his success is sparking interest in dragon fruit among young people in the area.

At Nanduali village in Magura municipality, rows of posts hold up dragon fruit plants with ripe and half-ripe fruit hanging from the branches, while workers are busy tending the orchard and picking fruit. Such a move away from traditional rice and jute to a high-value fruit points to new possibilities for local farming.

Orchard manager Md Ikram said: "The orchard started small but has grown bigger day by day. Several of us work here and our families depend on it. I hope the orchard will grow even bigger. If it does, we will be able to live well with our families."

Ibrahim said: "During Covid I used to watch videos on dragon fruit farming online at home. Inspired by them, I started small. Now, with good soil and hard work, I am making a good profit. Many unemployed young men in the area are being encouraged by my orchard. In future I want to set up another orchard, which will create jobs for more people."

Because the fruit is of good quality, there is local demand for it, and some people come straight to the orchard to buy fruit for their families. In his words, the orchard's fruit meets the needs of his own family and relatives too. Another reason for his interest is the harvest cycle: he says that after one picking, fruit can be harvested again within 10 to 15 days, allowing several harvests and sales in a single season.

Md Nur-e-Nabi, Magura Sadar upazila agriculture officer, said: "Dragon fruit is grown on 10 hectares in Sadar upazila. Magura's soil and climate are well suited to it. Seeing the success of young entrepreneurs like Ibrahim, many are becoming interested. The Department of Agricultural Extension is giving farmers overall advice and technical support." He said dragon fruit contains antioxidants, vitamin C, iron and fibre.

Besides favourable soil and weather, farmers' interest in new high-value crops is helping dragon fruit spread in Magura. Led by young entrepreneurs like Ibrahim, many are moving beyond traditional farming to new crops. A possibility first seen on a Facebook and YouTube screen has become a reality on Ibrahim's own land.

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