Arif Hossain, Babuganj Correspondent
Parvez is the son of Rafiqul Islam of Idilkathi village in Dehergati union of Mahmud upazila. On June 11, 2021, he planted about 2400 dragon saplings on his 63% land in RG Baherchar mouza of the union.
He started cultivating dragon fruit by searching YouTube for the purpose of earning honest money. Flowers started coming in April 2022. On June 9, for the first time, he sent 100 kg of dragon fruit for sale at Kawran Bazar in the capital Dhaka. Dragon fruit is selling at Tk 250 per kg.
This is the first time in the region that he has been successful in cultivating dragons by applying his own organic fertilizers and organic pesticides without any kind of chemical medicine.
Every day people from different areas gather to see his L-shaped dragon garden. A dragon tree bears fruit for 10 months of the year. He is dreaming of earning crores of rupees from this garden. In his garden there are 4 species of dragon trees of different tastes.
It can be seen on the ground that Parvez Mahmud of Dehergati Union of Babuganj Upazila of Barisal has got huge success by cultivating sour-sweet and sweet tasting dragon. Each tree has flowers, buds and ripe dragons. The success of foreign orchards has caused a stir in the area. He is also cultivating papaya, ole kachu, Bombay chilli, brinjal, potato, kachu and other vegetables in the same garden. Artificial bee nests have been set up in the garden for natural pollination. In addition, dragon flowers are artificially pollinated to ensure 100%. Next to it he has built a Chinese orange and guava garden. Two day laborers work in his garden every day.
Parvez Mahmud, who has been successful in cultivating new fruit dragon, said that after completing Honors and Masters in Accounting Science from Government Bangla College, Dhaka in 2000, he worked as an accountant in a company in the country till 2006. Later moved to UAE. He returned to the country from UAE in 2019. With the decision not to go abroad in 2021, he started Dragon Garden from the country. Now he has commercially built a dragon farm on his 63 acres of land. Although the climate of this country is quite suitable for cultivating red, yellow and white dragon fruit, he has also set up a red dragon farm. He added that although investment in dragon farming is a bit high, it is possible to do something big from here. Addressing the youth of the country, he said that employment should be created in the country without going abroad by spending lakhs of taka.
Dehergati Union Parishad Chairman Mashiur Rahman said, "Parvez Mahmud's dragon garden has caught everyone's attention." He ended his life in exile and started cultivating fruits commercially. Educated unemployed should learn by watching him.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Nasir Uddin said that Parvez Mahmud was the first in the upazila to cultivate dragon fruit commercially and he has successfully marketed the fruit.
I was overwhelmed when I visited his garden. The agriculture office is constantly advising him to look for his garden. I hope seeing Parvez Mahmud's garden will inspire many to cultivate dragon fruit.
