Mymensingh Correspondent:
Aftab Uddin Chanu of Bhaluka upazila under the district has set an example of successful commercial culitvation of malta, a popular citrus fruit.

“Earlier I worked as supervisor at a malta orchard owned by Monmohan Sarker of Kalmakanda upazila in Netrakona district. After gaining experience from there for four years, I started malta cultivation at Panchgaon village in Bhaluka upazila in 2012,” said Chanu, 55.

“In 2013 I planted 300 malta saplings of different sizes on 135 decimals of land. Last year I made a profit of Tk one lakh. This year I have already sold 50 maunds of malta at Tk 4000 per maund, said Chanu.

The sale is at its fag end now, he said. Chanu also sells malta saplings for Tk 500 to Tk 1000, according to sizes. There are some 2000 saplings ready for sale at his orchard, said a smiling Chanu.

The fruit variety developed by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Instuitute is very juicy and tasty, said stakeholders. It passes flowering stage between March and April and it needs around nine months to mature, they said.

“Buyers from different areas of Mymensingh and outside come to my garden to buy malta. Once I was enagged in traditional cultivation but it did not bring good profit. Now I am running my family well with the earning from malta farming,” said Chanu.

The cultivation of malta could be more profitable for farmers, especially for small and marginal ones, as it does not require fertile land and cultivation cost is comparatively less, said Md Mafiz Uddin, sub-assistant agriculture officer (Katlamari Block) of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Bhaluka.

The land not suitable for traditional farming could be used for malta cultivation and the high and forest land in Bhaluka is very suitable for it, said Altabur Rahman, deputy director of DAE, Mymensingh.

Malta is in great deamnd in the local markets and farmers can earn well by cultivating it, he said.

Source: The Daily Star