Real experiences, published anonymously and with permission.
A tea shop owner in Sherpur, Bogura, in a Prothom Alo report
Food processingBogura
A tea shop opened about 35 years ago on 10,000 taka borrowed by his father now sells 1,000-1,200 cups a day at 5 to 60 taka a cup, and paid for a three-storey house costing 35 lakh taka.
A home baker in Kaptai, Rangamati, in an Ajker Patrika report
Food processingRangamati
Home baking started in 2020 on 2,000-3,000 taka has brought in over a lakh taka so far; the report gives no monthly income or staff numbers.
A pickle maker in Bogura, in an Ajker Patrika report
Food processingBogura
A pickle business begun at home in 2020 with 300 taka now sells about 100 kg of beef pickle a month at 1,000 taka a kg, carries 20 lakh taka of capital, employs 15 people and earns 3-4 lakh taka a month.
A home-based online food seller in Chandpur, in a Prothom Alo report
Food processingChandpur
A home kitchen started online in 2023 with 9,000 taka returned 15,000 taka of profit on the first round. A one-pound vanilla cake costs 250-300 taka to make and sells at 550, and the business now earns 50,000-60,000 taka a month.
A Napier grass grower in Kaliganj, Lalmonirhat, in a BSS report
Agriculture & farmingLalmonirhat
Three bighas moved from paddy to Napier fodder grass now bring 200,000 taka a year. It is cut four to five times a year, one planting lasts four to five years, and bought-feed costs are down about 40 percent.
A woman growing ginger in Narail, in a Protidiner Bangladesh report
Agriculture & farmingNarail
Ten thousand sacks of ginger on about 1.5 acres of low-lying land beside the homestead, at a cost of 650,000 taka. The crop takes nine months; at the time of the report she expected to sell 16-17 lakh taka of ginger, which had not yet been sold.
A date palm sap tapper in Bauphal, Patuakhali, in a BSS report
Agriculture & farmingPatuakhali
He once tapped 30-35 date palms for 15-20 litres of sap a day; now 16 trees give 4-6. The price has risen from 50-60 taka a litre to 100-120, but the lost volume is larger than the price gain.
An areca nut orchard owner in Fulbari, Kurigram, in a Daily Star Bangla report
Agriculture & farmingKurigram
Five hundred areca nut trees brought about 800,000 taka last year. This season the trees yielded 25-30 percent more, but wholesale prices fell 60-65 percent, and he expects no more than 400,000.
A former pearl farmer in Jashore, in a Business Standard Bangla report
Agriculture & farmingJashore
Three lakh taka went into freshwater pearl culture, with about 100 ponds running between him and his trainees. The harvest was poor, there was no domestic buyer, and he abandoned the project after two years.
A cashew grower in Thanchi, Bandarban, in a Business Standard Bangla report
Agriculture & farmingBandarban
About 2,000 cashew trees gave this Thanchi grower 20 maunds this season, sold at 1,700 taka a maund against 3,200-3,700 the year before.
A summer tomato grower in Tala, Satkhira, in a Prothom Alo report
Agriculture & farmingSatkhira
Summer tomato costs 150,000-180,000 taka a bigha, sells for over 350,000 and nets 150,000-200,000. Wholesale from the field held at 65-70 taka a kilo against 100 taka retail.
A capsicum grower and cooperative chairman in Kumarkhali, Kushtia, in a Prothom Alo report
Agriculture & farmingKushtia
Two bighas of Indra Gold capsicum in 2024 cost 220,000 taka and returned about 400,000 in profit. The following season 30 farmers of the village put roughly 10 lakh taka into 10 bighas between them.
