Although the strawberry is a foreign fruit, farm entrepreneur Rajin Ahmed Ranju has succeeded in growing it commercially on fallow land. Being an unconventional, high-value fruit, it has turned into a profitable crop. His plants are covered with white flowers, green fruit and bright red ripe strawberries. Rich in nutrients, the fruit is in wide demand in the country's markets.

Rajin Ahmed Ranju of Satmail village in Bag Achra union of Sharsha upazila, Jashore, has started growing strawberries commercially for the first time. He planted 2,300 seedlings on just 14 decimals of land. The plants began flowering in the first week of January. At the start of the harvest, the fruit is selling at Tk 300-400 a kg in the local market. Cultivation cost Tk 50,000-60,000, and 20-25 kg of fruit is harvested each week.

Rajin Ahmed Ranju is known locally for trying new crops. This time, on the advice of the agriculture department and after watching YouTube, he grew the American Festival variety of strawberry. Attractive in smell, colour and taste, the fruit is widely used in juices, jam, ice cream, milkshakes and many other foods, and its flavour is used in industrial food production.

His first-time success has created a stir among local farmers. Curious people come every day to see the bright red strawberries. Many buy them and some ask for advice on growing them. Local farmers say that since the profit is higher than from other crops, they will grow strawberries if they can get seedlings.

Sharsha upazila agriculture officer Dipak Kumar Saha said: "Strawberries have been grown on 25 decimals of land in the upazila this year. There is no government incentive for this fruit, but we give farmers all other advice. Agriculture office staff in the field are also regularly advising the growers."

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