JOYPURHAT, Nov 05: Some farmers in the district have been cultivating Bari-1 Malta on an experimental basis over the last couple of years.
Taking short-term training sessions the farmers started farming the juicy citrus fruit. Good yield and fair market prices have encouraged more farmers to bring new lands under the farming of the fruit.
Deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Sudhendranath Roy said a good number of growers are now showing more interest to cultivate Malta on commercial basis.
"I have been cultivating malta commercially on six bighas of land," said farmer SM Rawson Jamil of Samontaher village in Mahmudpur union under Khetlal upazila. He also said, "I am expecting to make over Tk 1.0 million this season if the weather condition remains favourable till December."
Trader Ruhul Amin of at Panchbibi upazila said locally produced fresh Malta is being sold at Tk 140 to Tk 180 per kg in the local markets. Farmers are happy over the good market prices across the district.
A farmer has to spend Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000 to cultivate the fruit on a bigha of land, from where they can make a profit of Tk 40,000 to Tk 50,000 every season.
"Excellent growing of the fruit predicts a good yield this year," said sub-assistance agriculture officer of DAE Mustafizure Rahman. "We have provided all necessary agri-input among the interested farmers." he added.
