Farmer Md Ekhlas has earned Tk 108,000 from samam fruit grown on 40 decimals of land beside the Dhorung canal in Fatikchhari, Chattogram.
The 42-year-old first-time grower has sold 1,800 kilograms and expects total sales to exceed Tk 208,000 after harvesting the remaining crop.
Ekhlas cultivated the desert fruit near Manikpur Bainyachola bridge in Kanchannagar union, on land previously used for radish, eggplant and other vegetables.
A resident of Nurul Alam Sardar Bari and son of the late Abul Kashem, he had previously grown bananas, jujube and other crops and once traded in trees.
After watching samam cultivation videos online, he obtained seeds and planted 2,400 seedlings with mulching paper on August 22. His first crop cost about Tk 45,000.
Fruit began appearing within one and a half months, and almost every plant produced.
Samam has pale green skin and yellow flesh. Ekhlas is selling it wholesale for Tk 65 per kilogram, with traders collecting fruit directly from the field.
After selling 1,800 kilograms for Tk 108,000, he still has about 1,500 kilograms in the field. He expects those sales to bring about Tk 100,000 more.
Four workers help with the crop. Ekhlas used organic fertilizer and sulfur, along with pesticides when needed.
Five other farmers in Fatikchhari also grow samam, but Ekhlas is the first to cultivate it commercially on the Dhorung canal bank in Kanchannagar.
His yield has increased interest among neighboring farmers, and he plans to expand cultivation after winter.
Agriculture sub-assistant officer Shiburam Krishna De said officials monitored the crop and provided advice from the beginning.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Abu Salek said samam has been cultivated in Fatikchhari for several years, but Ekhlas was the first commercial grower in that location. The department provided technical support and hopes his success encourages other farmers to diversify.
Worker Ramzan Ali said samam was new to the laborers and they learned new techniques while following the farmer’s instructions.
Ekhlas said the trial brought both profit and experience and that he would use what he learned to improve yields on a larger area next season.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report