Photo : BSS

JHENAIDAH, June 30, 2025 (BSS) - Foreign fruits like rambutan, avocado and grapes being cultivated in various areas of the district are creating a silent revolution as the fertile soil of the region is helping the farmers to get a better yield. 

After meeting local demand, these fruits are being sold in Dhaka, Chattogram and other parts of the country.

When one thinks of avocado, rambutan or grape cultivation, foreign crops come to mind. These valuable fruits are imported throughout the year to meet the demand of the country's market. 

But all kinds of foreign fruits are now being cultivated in Bangladesh as well. 

This year, grapes have been cultivated in Kaliganj, Kotchandpur, Maheshpur, Harinakundu and Sadar upazilas of the district. 

Although some people cultivate grapes as a hobby but farmers are turning it to commercial cultivation due to good yields. 

Farmers have also achieved bumper yields of grapes and avocados on fallow land. 

At first they cultivated these foreign fruits experimentally. However, as the yield has been good every year, new possibilities have emerged in cultivating these foreign fruits. 

Shahinur Rahman, an agricultural entrepreneur from Chachra village in Kaliganj upazila, has planted the foreign fruit avocado on three bighas of land. Almost 5 years after planting the seedlings, he has achieved a great yield. Avocados are now hanging from the trees he planted. 

Farmer Shahinur Rahman told BSS “In 2019, I brought avocado seedlings from Thailand through an agricultural officer. Then I planted them in the garden. Initially, people used to laugh at me. But after five years, my tree bore its first fruit. The first year, the fruit production was low. This year, the yield was great. Each tree bore a lot of avocados.”

He said that although the demand for avocados is not high in the local market, there is a huge demand for avocados in restaurants in big cities including Dhaka and Chattogram. 

Avocados are sold at Taka 500 to 600 per kg in the local market. 

However, avocados from Jhenaidah can be sold to traders in Dhaka and Chattogram at an average price of Taka 800 per kg. 

Hafizur Rahman, an agricultural entrepreneur and school teacher from Kaliganj upazila, has planted longan. He has achieved great success. This year, he has earned a lot by selling longan. 

Hafizur Rahman told BSS “Longan is a foreign fruit. It does not cost much to cultivate. It only needs to be cared for. It does not require much use of chemicals or pesticides.”

In the future, we have planned to cultivate rambutan and other foreign fruits, he said.

Meanwhile, grape cultivation has increased in Maheshpur, Harinakundu and Sadar upazilas of the district. Along with green grapes, colored grapes are being cultivated in these upazilas. 

Ariful Islam, a grape farmer from Betai village in Sadar upazila, said that he has achieved success by cultivating grapes experimentally. He plans to increase the cultivation of grapes next year. 

Abdur Rashid of Maheshpur upazila said, “I cultivated grapes on three bighas of land this year. I have planted at least 12 varieties of foreign grapes and make a garden. Due to the difference in varieties, I have obtained a good yield of brown, red and green grapes in my garden.”

The price of grapes has also been good. In addition to grape cultivation, there is a goal of producing quality seedlings. 

According to the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), rambutan was cultivated on one hectare of land in the district in the 2024-25 season. 

Farmers have cultivated this fruit experimentally in Kaliganj and Kotchandpur upazilas and avocado has been cultivated on 2 hectares of land in the district.

Of this, farmers have cultivated avocado on 1.75 hectares of land in Kaliganj, 1 hectare in Kotchandupar and 0.24 hectares in Harinakundu upazila. 

Experimental cultivation of grapes has been done on 2.25 hectares of land in Sadar, Harinakunfu, Kaliganj, Kotchandupar and Maheshpur upazilas of the district. 

Of this, farmers have cultivated different varieties of foreign grapes on 0.44 hectares of land in Sadar upazila, 0.55 hectares in Kaliganj, 0.31 hectares in Kotchandupar, 0.66 hectares in Maheshpur and 0.29 hectares in Harinakundu upazila. 

Deputy Director of DAE Shasthi Chandra Roy told BSS that the soil of each upazila of the district has a special quality. Farmers are benefiting by cultivating various types of foreign fruits on this soil. 

Farmers started cultivation experimentally, but after success, it is being turned into commercial cultivation. This can be called a great revolution in country’s agriculture. If the cultivation of foreign fruits increases, the dependence on fruit imports will decrease and foreign exchange will be saved.