The experience of growing strawberries in Bangladesh has not been very good. Cultivation of this colourful, juicy and nutritious fruit began about a decade and a half ago. Because it perishes quickly, it is grown only in the Rabi season, or winter. Seedlings are planted until November-December, flowering starts in mid-December, and fruit comes from late December to April.

Some entrepreneurs profit from strawberries through hard work and dedication. One is Masud Rana of Ronohat, Katakhali, Rajshahi. He began growing strawberries four or five years ago and is still going well. Starting on just 10 katha of leased land, he now grows on 8 bighas, one for seedlings and seven for fruit.

His crop came a little late this year. In the first week of February the plants were full of fruit, but little had coloured. The fruit that has come is good in size and quality though not fully ripe, and he is fairly sure of a profit.

Source: Shykh Seraj, Krishi Dibanishi. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.