Success in orange farming sparks an agricultural trend in Kurigram

UNB, Kurigram :
A young entrepreneur in Kurigram’sSadarupazila is reaping the benefits of orange farming, exemplifying self-reliance after completing his education.
Abu RaihanFaruk, the enterprising youth, anticipates doubling his investment from selling a high-yield variety of oranges originating from China.
Raihan, who finished his studies three years ago, chose entrepreneurship over job hunting. He started to cultivate various local and foreign fruits like mango, orange and grapes on his six-acre farm two and a half years ago. Recognizing the high demand for oranges in the local market, he focused on expanding his orange cultivation.
Starting with a single plant of the Chinese orange variety acquired from Bogura district, Raihan successfully grew 100 orange trees through graft cutting in just one and a half years. Encouraged by this success, he invested in commercial cultivation by dedicating two bigha of land to orange farming with an investment of Tk 20,000.
Raihan found orange farming relatively hassle-free, requiring only compost fertilizer, pesticides, and anti-fungus spray for a healthy yield. He confidently expects to double his profits this year. He anticipates selling 15-20 maunds of oranges.
The potential revenue from his orange harvest is estimated at Tk 80,000. Raihan also highlights the significant demand for oranges in Bangladesh, which currently relies on imports. He believes that local commercial cultivation could meet domestic needs and eventually lead to exporting oranges.