• A Rajshahi University student succeeds with malta farming
• Sales of Tk 10 lakh possible in only the second year of fruiting
• Safe and nutritious fruit grown with organic and chemical methods
• Fahim's BARI Malta-1 cultivation draws wide attention

"Since childhood I dreamed of becoming a successful entrepreneur alongside my studies. How to start? I had to work day and night thinking about it. One day I was inspired seeing malta grown on the roof of a teacher's house. I started during the pandemic by planting 960 malta trees. Although success did not come in the first year of fruiting, I hope to sell Tk 10 lakh worth of malta this season." That is how Md Faraduzzaman Fahim, a second-year student of public administration at Rajshahi University, told the story of becoming an entrepreneur.

Fahim is the third of five children of Mozammel Haque and Mst Farida Begum of Mirzaganj village in Domar upazila, Nilphamari. After passing SSC from Mirzaganj Multilateral High School and HSC from Rangpur Cantonment Public School and College, he enrolled in the public administration department at Rajshahi University.

Talking to Fahim, it emerged that in July 2021 he planted 920 malta and 40 orange saplings on 3.15 acres. He was not discouraged when the yield in the second year after planting fell short of expectations. In the first year of fruiting he sold Tk 2.2 lakh worth of malta. With favourable weather and a good yield this year, he said Tk 10 lakh in malta sales is possible, and he has already sold Tk 3 lakh worth.

Besides becoming self-reliant, Fahim has created jobs. Four workers look after and tend the malta orchard, and his fish farm and various field crop projects employ more than 10 workers. The young entrepreneur said he hopes to set a shining example if he gets government incentives and support.

Fahim said: "In 2021 I was inspired seeing malta grown in a rooftop garden. Later I visited various orchards in person and contacted the local Domar upazila agriculture department. I set up the orchard on the advice of the then upazila agriculture officer, Md Anisuzzaman sir. In the second year after planting the yield did not come as hoped. This year I have sold about Tk 3 lakh worth of malta, and I expect to sell another Tk 6-7 lakh worth."

Schoolteacher Md Dulal Uddin said: "I was truly amazed when I went to Fahim's malta orchard. He has made a wonderful orchard on nine bighas of land, and the trees look very beautiful. Fahim is a hard-working boy who is trying to become self-reliant by gardening while still a student. This will boost the country's economy and create jobs for rural people. If everyone were as keen as Fahim, unemployment would fall considerably."

Domar upazila agriculture officer Md Rafiqul Islam said: "Fahim is a successful agricultural entrepreneur in the upazila. With the help of the agriculture department he has grown malta on three acres. His orchard has about 1,000 BARI Malta-1 trees and around 150 orange trees. Sub-assistant agriculture officers advise him regularly. Agriculture will be transformed in the hands of entrepreneurs like him."

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