Sweet grapes have grown in the orchard of Md Atikullah of Baraiya (Bhuiyan Bari) village in Jangalia union of Kaliganj upazila, Gazipur. The farmer, in his sixties, has caused a stir by growing sweet grapes on a large plot, with bunches hanging from trellises on about one bigha of land. People are crowding to see them, and farmers from different areas are coming for advice and seedlings. Those who once mocked Atikullah for growing grapes in the local soil are now amazed and singing his praises.

Atikullah watched many videos on grape growing on YouTube. Inspired, in 2022 he bought 10 seedlings of the Indian Choyon variety from Chuadanga by courier at Tk 550 each and began growing grapes, though the start did not go very well. Not one to give up easily, this year he started on a larger scale with 50 seedlings of the same variety at two sites. The vines began fruiting within seven months of planting.

Alongside the grapes, Atikullah also produces seedlings. Seeing his bumper crop, neighbouring farmers are being inspired to take up grape growing, and local nurseries and individuals are coming to him for seedlings. He sells each grafted grape seedling for just Tk 200.

Atikullah said the vines first fruited after seven months, and he got 20–25 maunds of fruit. But he did not sell a single grape from that first crop, giving it all away to local people. This second time the vines are again heavy with fruit, and again he will not sell it; he will give it free to anyone who visits the orchard. The vines bear fruit for up to 30 years.

He said the vines are planted 8 feet apart. Before planting, the land was prepared and each pit was given five kilograms of a mixture of brick dust, coarse sand and organic fertiliser, mixed with soil in pits 3 feet deep. The base of each plant is raised with soil so water does not collect. To let the vines grow tall quickly, he built high trellises on cement posts, which also reduces the risk of the vines collapsing in storms.

Claiming his orchard is the only grape orchard in the upazila, Atikullah said: "I hope to get good fruit this year. The fruit is usually ready to eat in 80–85 days. The fruit you see now will be edible within the next three weeks. The hardest part was that when I started, people around me mocked me in all sorts of ways. Many called me mad."

"I couldn't even sit at the shops," he said. "Now I am overjoyed. Many people come every day to see the grapes. I hope to make a good profit this year. Before, I got no help from anyone. Now the local agriculture office and people are always with me. So far I have spent about Tk 2–3 lakh, but there is not much cost now."

His wife, Nur Akter, said her husband works very hard on the orchard, watering it for two hours at night even in severe drought, and she sometimes helps him. She said they had made a profit from the orchard this year.

Abdus Salam, imam of Baraiya Central Jame Mosque, said: "Atikullah has produced these grapes through tireless work. He is the only one in the whole upazila who grows grapes."

Parvez Bepari, a young man from Baraiya village, said: "We young people of the area are inspired by Atikullah Nana's orchard. If Atikullah Nana, in his sixties, can do it, Insha'Allah we can too. I ask that a market be created for grapes grown in our own country instead of bringing them from abroad."

Iftekhar Ahmed Emon, another young man from the same village, said: "We are inspired by our neighbour Atikullah Chacha's grape orchard. I will take seedlings from here and grow grapes myself."

Md Aktaruzzaman, sub-assistant plant protection officer of Kaliganj upazila, said: "Last year he started growing grapes with 10 seedlings. Although the yield was not very high, he kept them. This year, with the help of our agriculture office, he has started on a larger scale with fertiliser, water and pest management. He is growing grapes without any pesticide this time, using biological pest management."

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