RANGPUR, July 29: Commercial grape cultivation has proved to be a boon for Rangpur farmer Tawhid Mia Mesbahuddin (40), whose success in this regard became talk of the town.
After planting 240 saplings of different grape varities on 24 decimals of land eight months ago, he had been harvesting the fruit for the past two months and earned around Tk 200,000 from sale. He spent over Tk 100,000 as cultivation cost, including transporting the saplings from Chuadanga. The harvesting will continue throughout the year, during which he expects to secure a yield of 2,500 kgs, provided the weather remains conducive. His vineyard boasts an array of high-yielding and nutritious grape varieties, including Baikonur, Alfonso, Joy Seedless and Green long.
He started growing grapes being inspired from the success of a Chuadanga grape farmer, contents of whom he had discovered in an online video sharing platform.
Beside grapes, Tawhid also produced 1,000 saplings from the grape tree shoots in his orchard, which has a market value of Tk 400,000-500,000. He plans to cultivate 100,000 saplings in the future, which would enable grape cultivation on nearly 80 acres of land.
In 2018, Tawhid also started a nursery on a small scale and now producing high-quality saplings of grapes, mangoes, litchis and various vegetables.
Tawhid said that his main goal is to reduce import dependency of grapes by promoting cultivation of the fruit among unemployed youths. He stated that a large portion of the country's demand of grapes can be met with homegrown alternatives if government patronage is available and the fruit's cultivation would also improve the socio-economic condition of the poverty-stricken people of the country's northern region.
Sumon Ahmad, agriculture officer of Rangpur' Pirgonj Upazila, said that the grape yield in Tawhid's orchard has been satisfactory. Stating that the grapes are sweet and delicious, the officer hoped that Tawhid's success would generate significant interest among northern farmers in grape cultivation - adding a new dimension to the national agricultural economy.
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