Fruits
Winter Approaches in the Southwest as Tappers Prepare Date Palms for Sap
As winter nears, date palm tappers across southwest Bangladesh are preparing trees for the sap season, though both trees and tappers are dwindling.
Agricultural journalist
Shykh Seraj
Shykh Seraj is a Bangladeshi agricultural journalist and broadcaster, founding Director and Head of News of Channel i. He has made farming programmes for television since 1982: Mati O Manush on Bangladesh Television, then Hridoye Mati O Manush on Channel i from 2004. He received the Ekushey Padak (1995), the FAO A.H. Boerma Award (2008-09) and the Independence Award (2018). The Agro News publishes his programmes, reports and columns under his name. · 364 stories
Opinion
The Sanctity of the House of Allah
Shykh Seraj describes how phones, selfie sticks and live video have broken the devotion around the Kaaba and the Prophet's Mosque, and asks Saudi Arabia to ban mobiles there.
Rooftop farming
A Young Couple's Planned Green Roof in Kalyanpur
In Kalyanpur, a young couple has spent eight years turning their apartment roof into a planned green garden that feeds the family and the mind.
Rooftop farming
Mamunur Rashid Finds Commercial Success in Rooftop Farming
Over 28 years, Mamunur Rashid has turned a 2,000 sq ft roof into a fruit orchard and seedling business, inspired by BTV's Mati O Manush.
Livestock
China, a Shining Example of Poultry Feed Quality Control
In China, farmers trust poultry feed because the government tests it strictly, and New Hope Group leads the market with quality-focused mills.
Agribusiness
Sound Trade Policy Guarantees Profits for China's Broiler Farmers
In China, clear government rules and contract arrangements with feed companies mean broiler farmers rarely make a loss, Shykh Seraj reports from Shandong.
Agribusiness
New Hope for China's Poultry Industry
In Shandong, China, quality feed and company support have made a layer farm reliably profitable, a model Shykh Seraj suggests for Bangladesh's feed companies.
Rooftop farming
The Nursery Industry Is Growing in the Capital
Nurseries across Dhaka are meeting growing demand from rooftop farmers and gardeners, though buyers raise concerns about seedling quality and training is needed.
Bangladesh
Syed Shamsul Haq's Last Wish
Lung cancer patient Syed Shamsul Haq, who came home from London for treatment, spoke of his plans for Bangabandhu's birth centenary and the golden jubilee of independence.
Crops
Brahman Beef Cattle Weighing 25 to 30 Maunds Raised on Bangladeshi Farms
For the first time, Brahman beef cattle are being raised on Bangladeshi farms, with bulls reaching 440 to 460 kg at 15 to 18 months, far heavier than local cattle.
Livestock
Belgian Blue Could Be an Alternative
After visiting a Belgian Blue farm in Belgium, Shykh Seraj argues the breed could be researched in Bangladesh to meet beef demand.
Crops
Belgian Blue, an Astonishing Beef Breed
The Belgian Blue, a double-muscled beef breed little known in Bangladesh, has supplied meat in Europe and America for about 70 years.
Flowers
Aleya Khatun's Flower and Fruit Rooftop Farm in Rangpur
In the heart of Rangpur, Aleya Khatun has built a two-tier rooftop farm of flowers and fruit and urges the city's residents to green their empty roofs.