Hassan Al Sadi, 42, has established a commercial flower garden on around eight bighas of land in Polashbari area under Paba upazila with diversified flower plants attracting many flower-loving people to visit every day.
There are tulip, celosia, servida, pitulia, gladiolus, pongee, verbena, gejenia, china gada, drip chandra mallika, clox and cosmos flower in his "dreamers garden" creating an eye-catching look at present.
Hassan Sadi, a resident of Chapainawabganj, got inspiration after seeing a tulip garden at Shripur in Gazipur district and established his dreamers garden in 2020. He also used the open spaces of the mango orchard for flower production by inter-cropping.
There is an enormous prospect of promoting flower farming in mango orchards as intercropping in the region because huge lands remain fallow more than six to eight months every year, he told BSS.
Zafar Iqbal, 48, a resident of Proshadpara village of the upazila, has set a bright instance in flower farming in the region.
Around six years back, he started flower farming only on 10 kathas of land and that was the turning point of his life.
At present, he, in full cooperation of his wife Nusrat Jahan, has been cultivating flowers on more than 10 bighas of land after getting tremendous success.
Sohel Rana, a resident of Bagha upazila, has become an icon in this field since he initiated his business in 2014. In the initial year, he sold flowers worth around Tk8,000 after spending Tk3,000. This year, he has already sold flowers worth Tk45,000 and flowers of more Tk55,000 to Tk60,000 will be hoped to be sold.
Rana, who obtained a post-graduation degree in Islamic History from Rajshahi College in 2016, attributed that he gets the highest flowers in January and February.
Every flower stick [tulip] is being sold at Tk10 to Tk15 and he receives Tk10 to Tk12 per stick from wholesalers coming from Rajshahi, Natore and Ishurdi.
Many youths have made fortunes through commercial flower farming as it becomes a blessing for them in the region, including its vast barind tract.
The enthusiastic youths have found the path of becoming successful entrepreneurs through flower farming with their investments.
Bagha Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiullah Sultan said many farmers are getting success in farming both flowers and its seedlings. "We are inspiring the farmers to cultivate the flowers by providing seeds to them," he added.
The farming of different varieties of flowers including gladiolus, marigold, rose, tuberose and gerbera is gaining popularity across the region during the current season.
Owing to the lucrative market price, many farmers are getting involved in cultivating flowers, said officials of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
The cultivation of gladiolus flower has turned a boon for Kayum Ali, a farmer of Godagari upazila. "I made a huge profit in 2023 farming this variety of flower," he said.
"I have cultivated the flower on one and half bighas of land spending around Tk25,000 this year and already sold flowers worth Taka 1.80 lakh," Kayum said.
Talking to BSS on Thursday, Motaleb Hossain, additional director of the DAE, said flower farming has started bringing a new dimension in Rajshahi's economy because many youths are showing interest in the blossom farming commercially in the region including its vast Barind tract at present.
He also said flower farming has gradually been increasing commercially here as the growers are getting good yield and price.
Soil and environment of the Barind area is suitable for flower farming. There is enormous scope of boosting flower yield if timely irrigation and fertilization was ensured, he added.
In the current season, farmers cultivated different varieties of flower including gladiolus, ganda, rose, rojonigondha and gerbera in Godagari, Kakonhat, Mundumala, Tanore, Amnura, Nachole, Gomostapur, Sapahar, Porsha, Niamatpur and other adjoining areas.
