Md Muslim Uddin of Mirsarai in Chattogram has succeeded in growing jujube (boroi), seeing success in his very first attempt. He sells fruit from his orchard every day, and his jujubes, grown without any chemicals, are in good demand. He is the son of the late Moulvi Main Uddin of Purba Katachhara village in Katachhara union of the upazila. After passing his HSC, he chose farming as his profession.

A visit found that the 50-decimal orchard is fully enclosed with netting. Inside, green-yellow and reddish Ball Sundari jujubes hang from the trees, and Muslim and several others were picking fruit and bagging it for sale. The trees usually flower in September and the fruit begins to ripen from mid-December. Being large and sweet, all the jujubes are sold at the orchard itself.

Farmer Muslim Uddin said: "I have been farming for six years. With a team from the upazila agriculture office, I visited a jujube orchard in the Heyako area of Fatikchhari upazila. On returning, I thought of setting up a jujube orchard. In April last year, I first planted 45 Ball Sundari jujube trees on 20 decimals next to my home."

He said: "After that, I expanded to another 30 decimals. I collected the saplings from Meherpur. Selling at Tk 140 a kg, I have sold Tk 20,000 worth so far. Given the amount of fruit on the trees, I hope to sell a lakh taka worth."

Muslim said: "Setting up the orchard cost Tk 25,000. I will expand it further. I have been growing various vegetables for six years. I started with early tomatoes on 5 decimals and now grow tomatoes on 85 decimals. This year I have sold about Tk 1.5 lakh worth of tomatoes and can sell another Tk 50,000 worth."

He added: "I have also grown papaya, banana, chilli, cabbage, bitter gourd, watermelon and mustard. Green chillies and tomatoes are grown on the land all year round. The upazila agriculture office provides training and helps in various ways."

Mirsarai upazila agriculture officer Pratap Chandra Roy said: "Local farmers' interest in jujube is growing because it gives high yields for low cost and care. The Ball Sundari variety is very tasty. Muslim Uddin has succeeded with this variety in his very first year."

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