Passion fruit, a foreign fruit, is known in Bangladesh as "anarkali" or "tang fruit". Mahmud Hasan Stalin, a young agricultural entrepreneur from Maheshpur in Jhenaidah, has had great success growing it. The fruit began to be grown in the country's hill regions a few years ago, but he is the first to farm anarkali commercially on the plains. He lives in Ghughri village of Pantapara union in Maheshpur.

The mildly sweet-and-sour anarkali is becoming more popular by the day. Each fruit sells wholesale for Tk 10 to 15. It can be grown entirely organically, without chemical fertiliser or pesticide, which keeps production costs low and means there is no health risk. The fruit's distinctive taste and aroma have opened a new opportunity for the country's fruit production.

Stalin said he started farming six or seven years ago, wanting to bring something new to agriculture through modern technology. At first he grew dragon fruit, malta, guava and grapes on about 6 bighas. In mid-2022 he saw news about passion fruit, became interested, and that same year planted it on 2 decimals of land on a trial basis. Last year he sold about Tk 30,000 worth of fruit from the garden, and this year about Tk 1 lakh, for a total of Tk 1 lakh 30 thousand from just two decimals. He has now started growing it on another two and a half bighas.

"When I first started, nobody knew this fruit," Stalin told Jagonews. "Now many people know anarkali from YouTube and Facebook, so demand is rising in the local market too. Each fruit sells wholesale for Tk 10 to 15."

"The yield on two decimals was good, which is why I have expanded to two and a half bighas," he said. "It is possible to sell Tk 12 to 14 lakh worth of anarkali a year from one bigha."

Anarkali is grown on trellises, and each vine bears plenty of fruit at its tips. It needs no chemical fertiliser and can be grown organically, so there is no health risk. The fruit is rich in vitamin C, iron, zinc and vitamin A.

Manik Hossain of Ghughri village told Jagonews: "People come from far and wide to see Stalin bhai's anarkali garden. Thousands of fruits grow in a garden of just two decimals. The yield is very high, and the fruit tastes good too."

Local farmer Tipu Sultan said: "We did not know this fruit before. Many people laughed when they saw Stalin's garden. Everyone was amazed once it fruited. Each plant bears thousands of fruits. People are coming from Chattogram, Barishal, Noakhali, Khulna and elsewhere to buy it."

"Growing anarkali per bigha, it is possible to sell Tk 12 to 14 lakh worth of fruit," Stalin said. "The fruit is sold by the piece and production costs are very low. Alongside the fruit I have now started producing seedlings, and many people are coming to take them."

Agriculturist Md Kamruzzaman, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Jhenaidah, told Jagonews: "Many local and foreign fruits are grown in Jhenaidah. Mahmud Hasan Stalin of Maheshpur has had an excellent yield from foreign passion fruit. The district agriculture department is giving Stalin and all farmers full advice and support."

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