<i>Tk one lakh a day from plums </i>
Moyez Uddin sells 40-50 maunds of Baukool, Apelkool and Tahikool from 85 bigha orchard
Moyez Uddin at his plum orchard at Silimpur village in Ishwardi.Photo: STAR
Unbelievable though, landless farmer Moyez Uddin now earns over Tk one lakh a day. And he hopes to earn at least Tk one crore this winter season. He has grown Baukool, Applekool Thai Kool and other hybrid plums on 85 bighas of leased land at Silimpur village in Ishwardi upazila of pabna district. Most of at least 12,000 trees in his orchard are full of mellow plums, which draw visitors from far away areas. He planted Baukool in 2006. Hybrid Thai guava, onion and other vegetables are grown in the rest of his 126 bighas of leased land. Moyezuddin is now a source of inspiration for many in the area. It is a lively atmosphere at Silimpur village as traders from different districts flock to his orchard, where about 100 people including women work full-time. Interested farmers from different areas come to see his farm. Finance Advisor Mirza Azizul Islam visited his farm on Friday (February 1). Agriculture Adviser Dr. CS Karim also visited it last week. Earlier, agriculture secretary and some other high officials also visited his orchard. “I hope to get 350 to 400 tonnes of plum this year, which will be sold for about Tk one crore”, Moyez Uddin told this correspondent during a recent visit. He said he will be able to pluck around 30 kilograms of plum from a Baukool plant. The yield will increase gradually. “Hopefully, the profit may be Tk 40-50 lakh”, he said. “I earn over Tk one lakh a day by selling 40 to 50 maunds of plum at the rate of Tk 70-80 per kilogram”, he said. Last week's rains and squally winds damaged over 1000 maunds of plum as he has no storing facility, the farmer said. Moyez Uddin started commercial farming in 2001 by leasing about 30 bighas of land. Moyez Uddin, who read up to class eight, is also alive to the prospects of his products. “Baukool may have good market abroad like apple and other fruits grown in other countries but government will have to come forward to uitlise the scope”, he said. Deputy Director of Pabna Agriculture Extension department (AED) Akhtarul Afgan said he encourages commercial farmers and gives them all possible technical assistance. Raising orchards can be a profitable business for unemployed youths, which will also earn foreign exchange, he said.
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