‘Malta’ farming gains ground in Barind area

By dint of its lucrative market price and gradually mounting growers interest, cultivation of malta, a popular citrus fruit has started gaining popularity in the region including its vast Barind tract, reports BSS.
There are malta orchards on more than 200 bigha of lands in Godagari, Tanore, Nachole and Gomostapur upazilas and Chapainawabgonj Sadar making the farmers happy and enthusiastic, said Fazlur Rahman, Additional Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).  DAE officials encouraged farmers for cultivation malta as the climate and soil of the region are suitable for the fruit.
A grower of Jhilim area in Chapainawabgonj, Motiur abled to harvest 800 malta, which he sold for Tk 16,000. The locally-produced maltas are of a bright yellow colour, large and very sweet, which appealed to customers. “Customers buy my maltas direct,” explains Motiur.
“I cannot satisfy their demand.”
In such circumstances he extended the orchard last year to cover an additional six bighas, with six hundred more saplings. “I count on one to two hundred maltas per tree,” he says, estimating this year’s harvest. “About 15,000 maltas will be produced in this orchard.”
He also makes a good income from sapling production, with 25,000 saplings produced to be sold from Tk 250 to Tk 400 each. “The investment has been Tk 8 lakhs,” he says. “I hope through malta and sapling sales to realise Tk 20 lakhs.” Motiur estimates a further 10,000 saplings will be ready for sale within two months.
Last year, the farmers sold the cash crop at Taka 20 to 30 per peace. Being inspired by the successful ones, Moslem Ali, a farmer of Lalpur village under Tanore Upazla, has started malta farming on one and half of bigha of land.
“I am planting malta orchards on my four bighas at Babudaying area in Chapainawabgonj’s sadar upazila and on my sixty bighas in Gomostapur upazila,” says amateur farmer Mahbubur Rahman, who sees value in following Motiur’s lead.
In total, 150 bighas in the district are being transformed into malta orchards.
Dr Abdul Alim, Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Station, said farmers can harvest more than 100 fruits from every plant per season. Sweetens of locally produced malta is nine times more than those imported from China, India and Pakistan, he said.
“The region’s soil is actually favourable for malta cultivation,” says Dr Alim. “It’s possible to produce especially sweet, high quality malta here.” “I have a five-year plant yields 90 fruits on an average during last three years, said Harun Or Rashid, another grower of Kachua village under the same upazila. He says farming of sweet malta was a dream to farmers in the dried region. The dream has now been translated into reality with help of modern agriculture technology.
The red, hard and dry Barind Tract soils offers challenge to even seasoned farmers.
Maltas have no tradition of being grown there. Nonetheless, Harun Or Rashid thought to give them a try.
Eco-friendly fruit bags are being used to protect the fruits from insects and fungal spotting.
Omor Faruque Chowdhury, MP, is also successful to expansion of malta cultivation here for the first time. He plants on two bigha of land in 2013 and started harvesting fruits inspiring many other neighbours towards the farming. He plans to expand cultivation of malta and orange on around 50 bigha of land in the days ahead.

Malta farming gains ground in Barind area

By dint of its lucrative market price and gradually mounting growers interest, cultivation of malta, a popular citrus fruit has started gaining popularity in the region including its vast Barind tract, reports BSS. There are malta orchards on more than 200 bigha of lands in Godagari, Tanore, Nacholeand Gomostapur upazilas and Chapainawabgonj Sadar making the farmers happy and enthusiastic,said Fazlur Rahman, Additional Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE). DAE officials encouraged farmers for cultivation malta as the climate and soil of the region are suitable for the fruit. A grower of Jhilim area in Chapainawabgonj, Motiur abled to harvest 800 malta, which he sold for Tk 16,000. The locally-produced maltas are of a bright yellow colour, large and very sweet, which appealed to customers. Customers buy my maltas direct, explains Motiur. I cannot satisfy their demand. In such circumstances he extended the orchard last year to cover an additional sixbighas, with six hundred more saplings. I count on one to two hundred maltas per tree, he says, estimating this years harvest. About 15,000 maltas will be produced in this orchard. He also makes a good income from sapling production, with 25,000 saplings produced to be sold from Tk 250 to Tk 400 each. The investment has been Tk 8 lakhs, he says. I hope through malta and sapling sales to realise Tk 20 lakhs. Motiur estimates a further 10,000 saplings will be ready for sale within two months. Last year, the farmers sold the cash crop at Taka 20 to 30 per peace. Being inspired by the successful ones, Moslem Ali, a farmer of Lalpur village under Tanore Upazla, has started malta farming on one and half of bigha of land. I am planting malta orchards on my four bighas at Babudaying area in Chapainawabgonjs sadar upazila and on my sixty bighas in Gomostapur upazila, says amateur farmer Mahbubur Rahman, who sees value in following Motiurs lead. In total, 150 bighas in the district are being transformed into malta orchards. Dr Abdul Alim, Principal Scientific Officer of Fruit Research Station, said farmers canharvest more than 100 fruits from every plant per season. Sweetens of locally produced malta is nine times more than those imported from China, India and Pakistan, he said. The regions soil is actually favourable for malta cultivation, says Dr Alim. Itspossible to produce especially sweet, high quality malta here. I have a five-year plant yields 90 fruits on an average during last three years, said Harun Or Rashid, another grower of Kachua village under the same upazila. He says farming of sweet malta was a dream to farmers in the dried region. The dream has now been translated into reality with help of modern agriculture technology. The red, hard and dry Barind Tract soils offers challenge to even seasoned farmers. Maltas have no tradition of being grown there. Nonetheless, Harun Or Rashid thought to give them a try. Eco-friendly fruit bags are being used to protect the fruits from insects and fungal spotting. Omor Faruque Chowdhury, MP, is also successful to expansion of malta cultivation here for the first time. He plants on two bigha of land in 2013 and started harvesting fruitsinspiring many other neighbours towards the farming. He plans to expand cultivation of malta and orange on around 50 bigha of land in the days ahead.