Godagari upazila in Rajshahi, part of the drought-prone Barind region, has witnessed a major transformation in its agricultural landscape over the past decade.
Once heavily dependent on water-intensive crops such as rice, jute and wheat, farmers are now increasingly turning to fruits and vegetables like tomato, guava, dragon fruit, malta and orange as profitable alternatives amid declining irrigation facilities and rising production costs.
Farmers say that the undulating highlands of Barind, which earlier yielded only one seasonal rice or wheat crop due to water scarcity, are now producing fruits and vegetables year-round.
This shift has not only increased farm incomes but also boosted local employment and economic activity. However, the lack of proper storage and preservation facilities remains a major challenge, often forcing farmers to sell their produce at low prices or suffer post-harvest losses.
According to sources at Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Rajshahi produces more than 5 lakh metric tonnes of vegetables annually, of which 5–10% is wasted every year due to inadequate storage facilities. It results in significant losses both for marginal farmers and traders.
Among nine upazilas in Rajshahi, Godagari and Tanore fall within the Barind tract, with Godagari emerging as comparatively richer in crop and fruit production.
The upazila has about 41,199 hectares of cultivable land where at least 22 types of crops are grown, including rice, vegetables and fruits. Large-scale fruit cultivation has created employment opportunities for thousands of people.
This season alone, tomato was cultivated on 2,710 hectares in Godagari, producing an estimated 97,560 metric tonnes worth around Tk243.9 crore at Tk25 per kg. Guava cultivation covered 1,025 hectares with production of 45,580 tonnes valued at Tk71.4 crore. Dragon fruit was grown on 195 hectares, yielding 3,900 tonnes worth Tk273 crore, while malta and orange were cultivated on smaller areas with promising returns.
Habibur Rahman, a farmer from Hujrapur, said earlier a single rice crop could barely support a family for the year.
“By selling fruits, many of us now buy rice cheaply during the season and manage food for the whole year,” he said, adding that Barind’s soil and climate are well suited for fruit farming.
The data from the past five years show a gradual decline in the cultivation of Aman, Aus and Boro rice, wheat and pulses, while fruit, vegetable and oilseed cultivation has increased significantly. Sweet potato cultivation, for instance, rose from just 30 hectares to over 2,300 hectares in five years.
Traders also see growing demand for Godagari’s fruits. “Guava, malta and dragon fruit from this area have good taste and high demand, not only in Rajshahi but across the country,” said wholesaler Abdus Salam.
Godagari Upazila Agriculture Officer Mariam Ahmed described the bumper yields of tomato and fruits as highly encouraging. She said these crops require less water than rice and are well suited to drought-prone land.
This season, Pran Group alone purchased about 22,000 tonnes of tomato from local farmers under contract farming.
Experts, however, warn that without cold storage and processing facilities, farmers will continue to suffer losses.
Rajshahi University economist Dr Kazi Zulfikar Ali said that proper preservation infrastructure could significantly benefit marginal farmers and reduce food waste.
Despite challenges such as climate change, water scarcity and rising input costs, the shift toward fruit and vegetable cultivation has made Barind agriculture more diversified, resilient and profitable—offering a new path forward for farmers in one of the country’s most vulnerable regions.