Photo: BSS

KHULNA, Oct 13, 2025 (BSS) - Emon Khan, 40, a farmer from Dumuria Upazila in Khulna, has achieved remarkable success through commercial guava farming.

By cultivating improved varieties of guava, Emon has become financially self-reliant and an example for others in the region.

Talking to BSS, he said he invested Taka 2.25 lakh in his guava orchard and expects to earn around Taka 10 lakh from sales this season.

"The improved variety of guava bears fruit throughout the year with minimal cost," he said.

"Each guava weighs between half a kilogram to one kilogram, and a tree can produce fruit continuously for seven years," Emon, a successful agricultural entrepreneur, added.

Currently, he has 1,050 guava trees planted on five bighas of land, selling the fruit at Taka 50-70 per kilogram.

Inspired by his success, many local farmers have also started guava cultivation. Farmers like Ariful Islam of Panchur village under Gutudia Union and Purnandu Biswas of Shalua village have been tending guava orchards for several years.

Across Dumuria, fields are now filled with improved guava varieties, and many young entrepreneurs and unemployed youths are turning to guava farming for profit.

According to Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Insad Ibne Amin, guava has been cultivated on 25 hectares of land this year.

"Compared to traditional crops, guava farming yields three times more profit," he said.

"Saplings from Khulna Horticulture Center are planted at the end of the Bangla month of Baishakh, and the trees start bearing fruit within nine months."

Each tree produces 100-150 fruits, but farmers are advised to keep only 20-25 fruits during the early stage to ensure tree health.

Although guavas grow year-round, the winter season fetches the highest prices. To prevent insect infestation and fruit rot during the monsoon, farmers apply balanced fertilizers and cover the fruits with polyethylene wrappers.

The improved guava trees remain productive for at least seven years, producing sweet and high-quality fruit. Many local farmers are now shifting from traditional crops to guava cultivation due to its profitability.

Md Nazrul Islam, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Khulna, said, "Guava is a highly profitable crop. On one bigha of land, farmers can plant around 400 trees, each producing up to 20 kilograms of fruit annually. At current wholesale rates of Taka 1,400 per maund, a single tree can generate around Taka 3,000 in revenue per year."

He added that DAE officials regularly visit guava orchards to provide training on eco-friendly pest control and modern cultivation methods. Farmers are also being encouraged to grow intercrops like lemon and malta within their orchards for diversified income and sustainable farming.