Six bigha leased for 10 years for year-round mango; about Tk 4 lakh in sales last year, over Tk 3 lakh profit

A nursery owner from Pipragachhi village in Sharsha upazila, Jashore, has worked in nurseries for 25 years. He started as a labourer in someone else's nursery and later set up his own fruit nursery next to his home. On the local agriculture department's advice he planted a Katimon mango orchard on three bigha in 2018. The next year he leased another six bigha for 10 years and planted the BARI-11 variety, which gives fruit three times a year. Last year he sold about Tk 4 lakh of mangoes, with over Tk 3 lakh profit. By his account each bigha gives 40 to 45 maunds, and three bigha cost about Tk 1 lakh a year. He starts picking in January and sells at the orchard for Tk 350 a kg during Ramadan. So far this year he has sold Tk 1.2 lakh of mangoes and about Tk 60,000 of grafted saplings. He believes Tk 1.68 lakh a year per bigha is possible. Seeing his success, many educated unemployed young men in the area are taking up this mango, and the agriculture department is giving technical help.