Habibur Rahman Shanto, Valuka (Mymensingh) Correspondent:
For the first time in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabian dates have been successfully cultivated, creating a buzz across the country. The achievement comes from Abdul Motaleb, a farmer from Paragaon village in Valuka upazila, now widely known as “Khejur Motaleb.” His Saudi date orchard earns him nearly Tk 5 million annually, inspiring farmers nationwide.
Motaleb’s journey began in 1998 when he traveled to Saudi Arabia in search of better opportunities. There, he worked in date plantations for three years before realizing that being a laborer in someone else’s garden would not change his fortune. In late 2001, he returned home with 35 kg of date seeds and planted them in his backyard.
The beginning was tough. Without bringing back money or gold, his wife left for her father’s home. Yet, Motaleb persevered. From the seeds he brought, 275 trees grew—only seven of them being female plants. Over 18 years of research, he propagated saplings through cuttings from these mother trees.
Today, his seven-bigha orchard boasts over 3,000 Saudi date trees, including varieties like Ajwa, Sukkari, Amber, Lipjell, and Mariam. Prices range from Tk 600 to Tk 4,500 per kg depending on the variety. He also sells saplings—cutting-grown ones fetching Tk 15,000 to Tk 200,000, and seed-grown saplings Tk 500 to Tk 10,000.
His son, Mizanur Rahman, a first-year honors student, joined the venture in 2023. Together, they have developed a hybrid variety by crossing local and Saudi species, producing high amounts of sap juice. They have planted a new eight-bigha orchard for juice and molasses production.
Visitors from all over the country now come to see the orchard and buy saplings. Inspired by his success, many have started date farming themselves.
Valuka Upazila Additional Agriculture Officer Mizanur Rahman said, “We are providing technical advice from the agriculture department. If the government launches a date cultivation project, entrepreneurs like him will benefit greatly.”
Motaleb dreams of exporting his dates worldwide. For that, he says, modern processing machines are essential to package the fruit just like in Saudi Arabia.
