Farmer Shahjahan Ali Badsha has succeeded in commercial cultivation of sharifa, also called mewa, in Ishwardi, Pabna. He has built an orchard of the fruit on 33 bigha, and his sharifa sells in Dhaka and other markets across the country. His success has inspired young farmers in the area to grow it. Sharifa is selling at Tk 300 to 350 a kg in local markets and at more than Tk 500 a kg in Dhaka's retail markets.

Shahjahan Ali Badsha, owner of Ma-Moni Krishi Khamar and a national gold medal-winning farmer, set up the commercial sharifa orchard in Boktarpur village of the upazila 22 years ago. He began harvesting and selling sharifa commercially from the orchard in 2012.

According to the agriculture office, many know it as sharifa, but in Portuguese it is called "ata", and the Portuguese brought the fruit to this country. The tree grows to about 8 to 10 metres. Each fruit weighs 100 to 300 g. The flesh is white to cream, sweet and tasty, with fine grains like sugar.

Sharifa can be planted on high ground where water does not stand, in open spaces around the home, on rooftops and even in lightly shaded places, though sandy loam soil suits it best. It flowers in the month of Boishakh and the fruit can be harvested in Bhadro. Planting, care, fertiliser and pesticide together cost Tk 10,000 to 12,000 per bigha.

In Badsha's orchard the trees are laden with bunches of fruit. Alongside sorting and packing fruit for market, some workers tend the orchard. Worker Abdur Razzak said he has worked there a long time; he now picks the fruit, which is then packed and sent to Dhaka.

Shamim Hossain, who looks after the orchard, said the main pest is small insects called mealybugs, which can be controlled by spraying. Birds come to eat ripe fruit, so ripe fruit is picked quickly.

"Farming is my profession and my passion. I grow 53 kinds of fruit and crops in my various orchards and farms, and now I put more emphasis on fruit," Shahjahan Ali Badsha said. "Farmers suffer heavy losses because of climate change in the country. We also lost heavily for two years during coronavirus. We are hit in many ways, so farmers should think before choosing what to grow."

On sharifa, he said: "You have to grow profitable fruit and crops, especially uncommon fruit that fetches a good price at market. That is why I chose sharifa. The orchard yields every year and the market price is always good. The best of what is in the orchard now is selling at more than Tk 300 a kg."

"Slightly lower-grade fruit sells at Tk 200 a kg. Some trees yield two maunds, some one and a half, some one, and some only 10 kg. On average we count one maund per tree. Sharifa is three to four times more profitable than the fruits we commonly see in our country," he added.

Ishwardi upazila agriculture officer Abdul Momin told Jago News: "Farmer Shahjahan Ali Badsha has grown sharifa on 33 bigha. It is tasty and nutritious and is meeting the nutritional needs of people in Bangladesh. Harvesting has begun in his orchard and he is getting good prices. Seeing him, others too have been encouraged to grow sharifa."

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