Lovely Akter of Doarika village in Rahmatpur union, Babuganj upazila, Barishal, has found success growing the sweet Indian Chhomchhom grape variety after learning about it on YouTube. Crowds are coming to see the vineyard she started as a hobby, and many visitors are now keen to plant grapes themselves.

Lovely Akter is the wife of Abdus Salam, a retiree, of Doarika village. Inspired by YouTube videos, she built a trellis on 12 decimals of land in front of her house, next to Doarika Government Primary School. The garden has 47 vines, and bunches of grapes hang from every one of them.

"Inspired by YouTube, on 28 May 2022 I collected 47 Indian Chhomchhom grape seedlings from Satkhira and planted them. Each seedling cost Tk 500. Within a year the trellis was full of grapes. The trellis and seedlings cost about Tk 1 lakh. I grew them on 12 decimals as a trial and it worked. I plan to grow them on a bigger scale in future," Lovely Akter told Jagonews24.

"Many people are buying straight from the garden at Tk 200 a kg. What is left will also sell from the garden. I have raised seedlings from cuttings, and anyone who wants them can have them for Tk 300-350 each," she said.

Babuganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Mamunur Rahman told Jagonews24: "I was pleased to hear about the garden. Later I visited it with an agricultural extension officer. The yield is good. We have tried to help her with advice. Anyone who is keen to plant a grape garden will also be helped."

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