Young entrepreneurs lean towards agro sector

A college student in Pakundia upazila of Kishoreganj district is dreaming of a commercial pomegranate garden in the hope of good profit.

Inspired by watching pomegranate cultivation on YouTube, he is planting this pomegranate orchard on the advice of a local deputy assistant agriculture officer. His Saudi expatriate father has also encouraged him to cultivate pomegranate. He put his hand in the pomegranate garden with a dream full of hopes. Anwar Hossain Faisal of Shaitkahan village of Pakundia upazila studied 12th class in Pakundia College. In addition to his studies, he had ideas on how to become an entrepreneur. One day he saw the commercial cultivation of pomegranate on YouTube. Then he got excited and collected pomegranate seedlings of Super Bhagera variety from a farmer of Chuadanga district. He bought 140 saplings for Tk. 450 each. Each seedling is planted at a distance of 8 feet from each other. On the advice of the local Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer, he has applied the required amount of agricultural inputs to the land. For almost seven months now, the trees have been gradually growing with the help of absolute care. He is spending 3 to 3.50 lakh taka in this 35 decimal pomegranate garden. 

Many trees are already bearing flowers and fruits but he is cutting them down. His demand is that if farmers leave the flowers and fruits now, the growth of the trees will be hampered. If the trees are pruned, the yield will be two to three times a year. By which the cost of production rises, he will see the face of profit. He can also sell seedlings to those who want to take cutting seedlings. Anwar Hossain Faisal said that, pomegranate is a long-lived plant. Good yields can be obtained by pruning the trees and spreading the twigs.  And he is hopeful that he will see the benefits from the pomegranate tree. Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer of Pakundia Upazila at Shaitkahan Block Nazrul Islam said that "Pomegranate is mainly suitable for summer cultivation. However, it can be cultivated even in winter. High lands have to be selected for cultivation of Pomegranate. Care should be taken so that water does not accumulate at the base of the tree. When preparing the soil, Triple Super Phosphate, Potash, Dung, Bone Powder, Magnesium and Sulfur should be kept in the pit for 4-5 days and then seedlings should be planted. Pomegranate has medicinal properties. The juice of its leaves can be used to cure diarrhea and diarrhea. It is widely used and popular in local treatments.

Nazrul Islam said that it is a very nutritious fruit. Each 100 grams of pomegranate contains 78 percent water, 1.5 percent carbs, 0.1 percent fat, 5.1 percent sugar, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus etc. The tree bears fruit 8 months after flowering. Farmers can sell 140 trees on one bigha of land in one season (financial year) for 6-8 lakh taka.  College student Faisal is planting pomegranate for commercial purpose for the first time in Kishoreganj district. Many farmers have already contacted me to see his pomegranate cultivation. Many have told me that they will plant pomegranates. Farmers who will cultivate pomegranate will be given full support from Pakundia Upazila Agriculture Department.