Started with 2 kg of worms for Tk 13,200; now three own farms make 85 tonnes of vermicompost a month

A degree-pass entrepreneur from Pirojpur read a newspaper report on worm farming in 2012 and went into it. He rented a six-acre integrated farm from a cousin and bought two kg of worms from Chuadanga for Tk 13,200, plus six sanitary rings. At first people around him laughed, but he carried on. He first used his own compost on his own farm with good results, then encouraged other farmers to make and use it. His three own farms now produce about 85 metric tonnes of vermicompost a month, and sourcing from various farms he sells about 1,500 metric tonnes a month at Tk 12,000 a tonne. With his help 41 worm farms have come up in his village and the next. When selling the compost became the problem he formed an association of producers from across the country. For what he did not understand he went to upazila agriculture, fisheries and livestock officers, who stood by him. According to the report he has trained about 70,000 farmers and received an agriculture ministry honour.