Hefty gains from guava

Zafar along with labourers plucking guava. The photo was taken on Friday. PHOTO: STAR

He earns around Tk two lakh annually from his two-acre guava garden in Harmapur village in Magura Sadar upazila. The land remained fallow earlier.

His success has inspired others in nearby Ichchakhada, Uttara Noapara, Hazrapur, Mithapur and Nandalalpur villages, who have raised guava gardens on a total of about 400 acres.

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His success is a topic of discussion for many villagers and officials in Magura.

District agriculture and horticulture officials often visit his guava garden now and tell others to follow the example.

Thirty-five year old Zafar always remains busy nursing his garden that has brought him fortune from poverty.

Zafar's family had hard times earlier. With little education, Zafar did many odd jobs to maintain his family with one son, old parents and a younger brother.

Fortune smiled on them after he met Agriculture Extension Department (AED) Block Supervisor Abdur Rashid in 1993.

Inspired by him, Zafar planted guava plants on their 50 decimal fallow high land in the village.

He could not imagine that some day this would bring fortune.

"Being influenced by Abdur Rashid, I gave more time and labour to nurse the plants," a smiling Zafar told this correspondent during a recent visit to his garden.

As the plants grew, other AED officials from Magura visited his garden and promised assistance. He expanded his garden to two acres. The number of plants grew to around 400.

"In 1995, I learned about Tk 50,000. The total cost was about Tk 10", Zafar said.

"Plucking increased many times after two years as the plants grew.

In 1997, I learned about Tk two lakh. It was beyond my imagination," an all smiles Zafar said.

"On an average, I earn about Tk 2.5 lakh a year now. Each plant yields 150 maunds of guava in a season".

Guava cultivation needs small investment but the return is big.

Now is the peak season for harvest. Traders from Sylhet, Faridpur, Dhaka, Madaripur and Barisal come to the area almost every day. At least two truckloads of guava are supplied from the gardens in the area every day now, farmers said.

Zafar has not forgotten his social responsibility. He has set up a kindergarten school at his village at his own cost to educate children. At least 300 students study at the school.