Mohi Uddin, 35, has become self-reliant by growing Rupban beans. He sold Tk 2 lakh 96 thousand worth of beans in a single day, astonishing everyone, and expects to sell another Tk 4 lakh worth over the next two months.

Mohi Uddin is the son of Abdur Rahman of Middle Banshbaria village in Banshbaria union, Sitakunda upazila, Chattogram. "At first I grew various vegetables on flat land, alongside a timber and drumstick business. Industrial owners have bought up the land in the area, so there is hardly any cropland left. That is why, on the advice of several people, I started farming on the hills three years ago. This time I have grown Rupban beans on about 250 decimals, as well as bottle gourd, yardlong beans, ridge gourd, snake gourd, okra and other vegetables," he said.

"I sold Tk 2 lakh 96 thousand of beans in one market. At first the beans sold wholesale at Tk 170 a kg; now I am selling wholesale at Tk 130 a kg. My beans are sold by mobile phone. Big wholesalers from Dhaka and Chattogram get the news and wait at the foot of the hill, then take the beans away by truck," he said.

He added: "Three people work in my field all 12 months, each paid Tk 20,000 a month. Sometimes 10-12 labourers also pick and tend the beans. Farming on the hills takes a lot of hard work, and costs are higher because fertiliser, pesticide and other inputs have become dearer. Last year I made a profit of Tk 5 lakh from Rupban beans after all costs."

Talking to the upazila agriculture office and several farmers, it was learnt that at the start of the harvest they sold Rupban beans wholesale at Tk 160-170 a kg and are still getting Tk 130-140. Production costs are somewhat higher because the land is remote and hilly. This year Rupban beans have been grown on 75 acres in Sitakunda upazila by about 300 farmers. The beans are sown each April, picking begins after 60 days, and sales continue until December.

Mohammad Abul Monsur, sub-assistant agriculture officer for Banshbaria union, said: "Mohi Uddin is the most hard-working farmer in Banshbaria. This season he sold Tk 2 lakh 96 thousand of beans in one market. It took three days to bring the beans down from the hill. Cropland on the plains is shrinking day by day as industrial owners buy it up, and many farmers are forced to farm on the hills."

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