A 460-species garden earning at least Tk 4 lakh a year: 609 plants couriered, Tk 30,000-35,000 a month

A young man in Taitong union, Pekua upazila, Cox's Bazar, who graduated from Noakhali Science and Technology University, has built a garden in two sheds beside his family's pond. Of its 460 plant species at least 150 are cacti, hence the name Pekua Cactus Garden. He teaches at a coaching centre in Pekua Chowmuhani with friends and also gives regular time to the garden. He began collecting cacti toward the end of the Covid pandemic. The start was poor: some plants rotted because of improper care, and he was cheated on an online order. He then joined online groups of plant growers and collected many species through them. He did everything from grafting to building the sheds himself, learning from Google and YouTube. Prices by size and variety are Tk 50-1,200 for cacti, Tk 500-5,000 for ferns and Tk 150-1,500 for stephania. From October 2024 to 25 January he sent 609 plants by courier, averaging Tk 30,000-35,000 a month, and he believes Tk 50,000 a month is possible with a little more time. His yearly income is at least Tk 4 lakh. Besides online sales, many buyers come in person and he also sells at tree fairs. He says cacti, money plants and orchids are in most demand for indoor decoration. The agriculture officer has said the department will encourage him.