Many youths are becoming self-reliant cultivation Malta inKurigram,the riverine and northern district in the country.

Youths are cultivating Malta in their lands,roof top as well as taking lease from others land and benefitting as its price is high in the markets at present.

While visiting in a Malta farming at Horiram village under Belgacha union in KurigramSadarupazila and found that Habibur Rahman, former vice chairman of KurigramSadarupazilaParishad makesa Malta farming combined other fruits including Grapes, Orange, Dragon, Apple, Mango, Burmesgrapes (Latkon), betel-nut and other vegetables like bottle guard, pumpkin,Kodoa,Lalshakh,puishakh.KolmiShakh, Lemon etc, on 7.50 acres of his own land.

At first he collected the best quality of Malta plant from Jashor,Bogura and Rangpur. Now he is making plant and those are being sold. Some 12/14 agricultural day laborers are working in his farm everyday with wages at taka 400/- each. The number of Multa tree at 2,800 at present.

The prices of various fruit plant are being sold here as per plant of Malta at Tk.50-500, Orange 50-200, Apple 500-1000, Burmesegrapes (Latkon) 40-1000, Grapes 100-500, Mango 50-100, betel Nut (supari) 20-100 and papaya 30-50.

Established the Malta farm with 300 Litchi plants on 2018. The then Deputy Director of Kurigram Department of Agriculture Extension said don’t cultivate Malta here as the soil of Kurigram is not suitable for Malta cultivation. But the owner of the farm cultivated 400 pieces of Malta plant as experimental basis taking risk and was succeed. He also constructed a watch tower near his farm where he watches all areas. There are also two rooms for night guards there.

When DD of Kurigram DAE came to his village on the occasion of a field day, the owner of the farm harvested and feed a Malta to him for test. After taking the Malta the DD expressed satisfaction and told that earlier my idea was wrong. Then the owner started to cultivate Malta in a large scale.

He harvested and sold the planted Malta at Tk. 5.50 lakh in first time. He is expecting for more profit gradually. The price of Malta has been increased than previous years. Per kg Malta is being sold in the retail market at Tk 460 at present.

Managing Director of the Agriculture farm Abu RaihanFaruk told this correspondent that we are taking care of Malta and other fruit trees applying anti insects, fertilizer and wash weeds as per suggestion of agriculture department and we are expecting for more profit from the next year. He further said many unemployed youths came here and is very interested to cultivate such kind of orchard farming observing this agriculture farm. Many of them are becoming self-reliant cultivating such kind of farm.