Abu Bakkar Siddiq Sumon, a farmer from Bailakhali village in Babuganj upazila of Barisal, has earned more than Tk1 crore from papaya cultivation over the past four years.
His success in growing papayas on the same land has earned him several national and international awards. For the past two years, he has also been selling papaya seedlings, with demand so high that customers often have to wait for their turn.
Sumon planted 1,250 papaya trees on 1.23 acres of land beside his home, with two ponds occupying part of the property. Each tree produces 5-6 maunds of papayas. Individual fruits weigh up to 4.5kg, while most weigh between 2kg and 3kg.
Raw papayas sell for Tk17-Tk45 per kilogram. As ripe papayas fetch higher prices, Sumon expects to earn Tk20 lakh this year by selling them at Tk60-Tk70 per kilogram. He said the trees can continue producing for up to two years.
Although he started papaya cultivation four years ago, Sumon began commercial production two years ago, significantly increasing his income. “Over the past four years, I have earned more than Tk1 crore from papaya cultivation on the same land, excluding my own labour,” he said.
With proper care, he said, a single tree can produce 5-7 maunds of papayas. Planning for a second harvest from the same tree can further increase profits, he added.
Sapling sales have also become a major source of income. Sumon sold around 25 lakh saplings over the past two years and has received orders for 3.5 lakh this year. His target is to sell 20 lakh saplings.
He sends saplings to more than 100 customers daily through courier services. Four saplings are packaged together to improve the chances of survival during transportation. Farmers and aspiring entrepreneurs from across the country visit Sumon to learn about papaya cultivation and collect saplings. Many also place orders through mobile phones and social media.
His achievements have earned him awards from Nepal, Dhaka University, India and the Ministry of Agriculture. He received the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award from India and recognition from Nepal for producing high yields on limited land.
GMM Kabir Khan, horticulture specialist at the Department of Agricultural Extension, said Sumon's success was encouraging more farmers to take up papaya cultivation.
