Himu's Window

A woman works at a strawberry field in Rajshahi. Growers and traders of the fruit are expecting a Tk10 crore annual turnover, as they launch its commercial cultivation this year. Photo: STAR Strawberry growers and traders in Bangladesh are expecting Tk 10 crore in annual turnover, as they go into its first-ever commercial cultivation this year.  Rajshahi University teacher Dr Manzur Hossain, who developed the fruit nearly a decade ago, expects nearly 25 tonnes of output from about 8.5 acres of land in 45 districts until April.  Growers claim the cultivation of this money-spinning, nutritious, delicious foreign fruit will spin nearly Tk 10 crore worth of trade a year.  “The initial commercial production will meet 50 percent of the gross annual demand for the fruit. At present, the demand for the fruit stands at 50 tonnes,” said Hossain, also the general secretary of Bangladesh Strawberry Farmers Association, which monitors the fruit's cultivation in the country.  Production will con

View of a strawberry garden in Rajshahi.Photo: STAR The Quantum Foundation authorities in Rajshahi bought over 1,000 strawberry plants for Tk 20,000 a month ago. They spent a further Tk 13,000 cultivating a fallow eight decimal pieces of land in Shitlai Kazipur area. They are now waiting to cash nearly Tk 2 lakh, six times the amount they invested, by selling 250kg of the lip-smacking fruit, in just 10 days. “Strawberry cultivation is relatively new in the country, but it is not difficult. It spins money," said Muzahidul Islam Zahid, an official of the foundation. "For the first time I have cultivated the fruit." Major Hafizur Rahman Mollah, deputy inspector general of prisons for the Rajshahi division, cultivated some 2,500 strawberry plants at the Rajshahi Central Jail property, six months ago. The jail authorities have spent over Tk 50,000 on the cultivation and now sell 1,000 saplings for Tk 70,000. Also, they are set to sell around 600kg of the fruit at an expected

Money-spinner strawberry draws government attention National Seed Board to approve variety for expansion of cultivation Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Strawberry grown at the yard of Dr Manjur Hossain in Rajshahi University. Photo: STAR Strawberry, a money-spinning nutritious and delicious foreign fruit adapted in Bangladesh, may get government registration soon for cultivation across the country after experiments yielded encouraging results in Rajshahi and Natore. "Once registered, strawberry cultivation will be expanded with government patronisationin, said Braja Hari Das, deputy director of Rajshahi Directorate of Agriculture Extension (DAE). With great export potential, the sweet and attractive fruit will open a new horizon for farmers, he told this correspondent. "A strawberry variety has been sent to National Seed Board and the process for registration is underway", said Dr Shafikul Islam, senior scientific officer of Rajshahi regional Fruit Research Centre (FRC). Experimenta

Commercial cultivation of strawberry promises hefty gains for farmers Anwar Ali, Rajshahi   Quamruzzaman's (inset) strawberry field at Harishpur in Natore left,and Dr. Manjur Hossain with plucked fruits in Rajshahi city. Photo: STAR     Farmers will soon get a new highly value added fruit for commercial cultivation, thanks to years of tireless efforts by two persons. Rajshahi University Botany teacher Dr Manjur Hossain evolved a variety of strawberry suitable for cultivation in Bangladesh's climate. Horticulturist Quamruzzaman of Natore commercially cultivated the variety on 1.5 bighas of land this year. The red juicy and nutritious fruit produced by them was supplied to posh markets in Dhaka recently. With farmer-level price of around Tk 300 per kg, the commercially viable fruit has great export potential and will benefit farmers enormously, the pioneers said while talking to this correspondent at their fields recently. It can be harvested within two and a