The farming of Bari Malta, a juicy citrus fruit enriched with Vitamin-C, is picking up pace in Shibpur and Belabo upazilas of the district.
According to sources, Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials encouraged farmers and provided them training for cultivating malta from 2011 as the climate and soil of the region are suitable for cultivation of the fruit.
Deputy Director (DD) of Department of Agriculture Extension of Narsingdi Shovan Kumar Dhar said, after getting successful results on an experimental basis, a number of farmers-- especially educated youths-- in Shibpur and Belabo upazilas of the district have started farming of Bari Multa in their homestead garden and other fallow lands collecting 15000 plants from Joyantapur of Sylhet district through the DAE.
He said farming of Bari Malta is more profitable than that of other fruits. The fruit is delicious and contains a huge amount of Vitamin-C. Farmers during the last nine years harvested a huge number of orchards in the two upazilas of the district and they are making good profits from it.
The farmers of every village in two upazilas cultivated Bari Malta in their homestead garden and other highlands.
While visiting the orchards at Monsafar char village of Shibpur upazila, Jahangir Alam, the owner of the orchard, said he started Bari Malta cultivating on 10 decimals of land in 2011.
Getting good results, he then extended the orchard by 20 more decimals of land and planted 200 saplings. The plants are growing well.
During the last three years, he got an excellent result from his garden. Jahangir said he harvested over 25000 malta last season from his garden, which he sold for about Tk 5, 00,000. Jahangir said farming of malta is more profitable than farming other crops. Farmers have shown more interest in growing malta on a large scale.
During the last 10 years, they harvested a number of orchards in the district and they are at present harvesting a huge quantity of malta.
The deputy director of the DAE said farmers during the last 10 years cultivated malta on 60 hectares of land in Shibpur and Belabo upazilas of the district.