Malta growing is spreading quickly in Dimla upazila, Nilphamari. A few growers began it and did well, others followed, and orchards now stand beside crop fields across the upazila.
Local farmers say the cost of growing traditional crops keeps rising without prices keeping up, so they are turning to fruit for extra income, and buyers want fresh local fruit.
Nur Alam of Sundarkhata has planted the BARI-1 variety on 65 decimals of land. He puts his income from the orchard at about Tk 4 lakh a year and sells at Tk 60-70 a kilogram in the local market.
He has used the gaps in the orchard for companion crops and betel nut seedlings, which he says bring additional income from the same land. He also says he gets regular advice from the agriculture department.
Agriculture officials and specialists say malta could spread much further here with the right variety, good seedlings, regular care, balanced fertiliser, timely disease control and measured irrigation. Companion crops can also bring in money before the trees bear.
Photo: Javier martin / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Source: Krishi Shomoy
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