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Tale of an orange farmer


Bangladeshpost
Published : 05 Mar 2021 09:29 PM | Updated : 06 Mar 2021 01:35 AM

Salahuddin Kazol, Jibannagar (Chuadanga) 

Omar Faruq, an orange grower, is famous for successfully developing an alien variety of orange orchard, at least locally in the Chuadanga district in south-western Bangladesh. 

The 40-year-old man, from Nidhikunda village, has demonstrated how to be successful in growing quality oranges in one’s backyard and turning them into a lucrative commercial orchard.

Hundreds of enthusiastic people pay a visit every day to his orange orchard that he started about five years ago. Local villagers describe the place of Faruq’s orchard as a tourist spot as many people throng there.

A local villager said, “Faruq is literally a celebrity now. People from distant places come to inquire about him and his orchard which is well known for picturesque landscapes. Visitors do not just come here to buy the saplings and oranges he sells but also to pose for photos with the charming background.”

Faruq’s fame did not merely come from the attractive garden, which certainly is an obvious reason for a place where traditionally oranges are not grown but the significance of the garden itself lies in growing variety of the orange which comes from distance China.

Many who comes to buy the fruit, traditionally grown abundantly in northeastern regions of greater Sylhet, said the orange cultivated in Nidhikunda village tastes delicious and very sweet.

The story of growing the Chinese variety of oranges goes back to early 2015 when Faruk during a visit noticed the same variety in the backyard of a private house in Khulna. Already having experiences in cultivating vegetables and other varieties of fruits, Faruk showed great interest in collecting some samples of the orange seedlings and try grafting them in small quantity in his village home.

Not surprisingly, his research and subsequent trial on transplanting the Chinese variety of the fruit on a larger scale proved to be very successful. Already being a farming enthusiast, Faruk applied all his bits of knowledge to bring perfection despite the risks of having different soil, moisture and of course, the climate.

“I was quite amazed to see such a magnitude of success which I was not initially expecting,” said a smiling face of Faruk who is also well recognized by the local administration supervising agriculture in the Chuadanga district.

“Most of the people who come to visit my garden ask me what is the secrete behind my success,” said Faruk while showing this correspondent the newly budding orange flowers which indicate an expected bumper growth.

Last year, Faruk earned around Taka 50 lakh only from selling orange seedlings. This year too he expects a similar earning from the sale of the orange saplings. 

Faruk said that initially after two years of proper care and delicate nurturing, in November 2018, the trees bore oranges.

The same year he sold oranges worth Tk 2.5 lakh and grafted 30,000 seedlings commercially. “Since then, I did not have to look back. With the blessings of Allah my garden is expanding for more trees.”

Imran Khan Akash, son of farmer Omar Faruk, said that the sale of their oranges this season ended on January 10 last. 

Akash said, “We have sold oranges worth around Tk 7 lakh in the just-ended season.” Asked about his feelings, Akash said “Farmers from different parts of the country are coming to buy orange saplings and seek knowledge from my father how to nurture the saplings.”

The good reputation of Faruq’s garden spread so much that one Indian citizen pledged to buy 10,000 saplings.

Faruk explained how he mastered growing larger quantities of the fruit every year. “In the first year, there were only 5-10 oranges per tree. The following year 20 to 30 kilograms of oranges were picked per tree. In the third year around 80 to 90 kg of oranges were harvested per tree and this year on average 100 to 130 kg of oranges were grown per tree, which is indeed quite amazing.” 

Faruk also said that it is possible to earn Tk 6 to 7 lakh a year (season) from selling oranges cultivated on one bigha of land, excluding all expenses.

Former local UP Chairman Mirza Tahajjat Hossain, who is a great admirer of Faruk, said that cultivating a Chinese variety of the orange was like a dream for the farmers of the country even a few years ago. “Omar Faruk has turned this dream into reality,” said a happy face of Hossain.

While commenting on Faruk’s success, the local agriculture officer of Jibannagar upazila, Sharmin Akhter said, “Omar Faruk has surely demonstrated how to bring success in a difficult situation, particularly the Chinese variety of the orange which is not very easy to cultivate and grow in such abundance in an alien climate and soil.”

At present oranges are being cultivated on 17 hectares of land in Chuadanga. The farmers are cultivating Chinese variety on 10 hectares of land in Jibannagar upazila.