Four thousand dragon fruit trees on two acres in Rajbari's Bajitpur: 50 maunds picked daily

The district's largest dragon fruit orchard has grown up at Bajitpur village in Basantapur Union of Rajbari Sadar Upazila. The orchard, spread over about two acres, now holds around four thousand dragon fruit trees, and at the height of the season about 50 maunds (2,000 kg) of fruit are being harvested from it every day on average.

According to the orchard's owner and workers, each tree has borne an average of 10 to 12 kg of fruit. Dragon fruit is currently selling at 150 taka per kg in the local wholesale market.

The orchard's fruit is not going only to local markets. Rajbari's dragon fruit is now being supplied to neighbouring Faridpur, Kushtia and the capital Dhaka, as well as other large wholesale markets across the country. Local buyers and wholesalers gather at the orchard every day to buy fresh fruit.

The orchard's manager, Jamadi Ul Alam, said: 'The fertility of the soil here and the weather are extremely suitable for dragon fruit cultivation. From the start we have followed the rules — balanced fertiliser application, irrigation at the right time and modern tree care. Regular care and strict supervision are why the trees have yielded beyond expectation this year.'

He added that they are not looking only at the quantity of the yield; they give the highest priority to preventing misuse of chemicals and producing completely chemical-free, quality dragon fruit. Their goal is to deliver nutritious and safe fruit into people's hands.

Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Bajitpur village who came to buy fruit directly from the orchard, said: 'When you buy fruit from the market there is often a fear it will be stale or chemical-laden. But here we can pick fresh dragon fruit from the tree in front of us. The fruit here is quite big, sweet and juicy.'

Saiful Islam, a wholesale trader who came from Faridpur, said: 'The size and quality of the dragon fruit from this Rajbari orchard are excellent. There is very high demand for dragon fruit from this area in the market. So I regularly buy fruit here at wholesale rates and sell it in the Faridpur market.'

Farhana Yasmin, a buyer who came with her family from Rajbari Sadar town, said the rows of trees laden with dragon fruit are a wonderful sight; her family enjoyed the holiday outing and are returning home with tree-ripened fruit free of adulteration.

Sub-assistant agriculture officers of the agriculture department at field level regularly visit the orchard and guide entrepreneurs on tree nutrient management, disease and pest control and modern care.

Local sub-assistant agriculture officer Md Mostak Khan said: 'Farmers' interest in dragon fruit cultivation is growing day by day. Through regular field-level visits we give direct advice on modern cultivation methods, balanced fertiliser use and disease and pest prevention. Farmers are achieving the desired success because of the right advice.'

Sadar Upazila agriculture officer Md Jony Khan said that with the agriculture department's technical support and regular supervision, Rajbari district is fast becoming a 'model district' for dragon fruit production. All kinds of technical and strategic support are being ensured for entrepreneurs, so that more new entrepreneurs come forward to cultivate dragon fruit commercially in future.