The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rajshahi

'Chhayabithi Agricultural Research and Development Center', a private initiative, has attained significant success in research and development of fruit trees for the last couple of years.

Talking to BSS, the owner of the center Mazder Ali said he started the farm in 2001 on a three-acre plot at Silinda in the metropolis and it has now expanded to 22 acres with varieties of fruit-sapling.

He said the main objective of the nursery is to supply quality and suitable variety fruit saplings and grafts to the farmers at affordable rates for enhancing fruit orchards in the country. "We are giving emphasis to ensure more production from more planted trees on less land through efficient management side by side creating high-yielding seedlings through selecting appropriate mother-tree and graft," he said adding that we are also working for detecting pests, diseases and other nuisance of horticulture along with management of those through research.Apart from this, adaptive research work on collection of new more high-yielding fruit varieties and removing the existing alternate breeding habit of mango has also been advanced successfully.

Describing the initiative as the first of its kind in the private sector, he said the concentrated effort has encouraged many other people to set up fruit nurseries. In addition to gardening germplasm of mango, litchi and jujube (cul) the center has separate blocks of projection, sapling production and conservation, grafting preservation and selling.

The center has also been putting in its effort for innovation of new agricultural technology on the basis of field level research and study.

Quoting positive outcomes of the farm-based work, Mazder Ali said there has been an enormous prospect of enhancing fruit production in the region through improved management.On behalf of the nursery, the nearby fruit-gardeners are being provided with necessary ideas on improved technology for horticulture and selection and collection of sapling and plantation and nursing of those adopting modern methods.In this context, he observed that most farmers face harass and deceit during purchasing of saplings of fruit-trees particularly mango and litchi. He said we are optimistic about restoring confidence in them in this regard as we believe that success and image of the farm is completely dependent on farmers profit and interest.

In addition to a manager and 12 permanent employees, the farm provides employment to another 10/15 labors on daily basis.There are 66 varieties of fruit including 30 of mangoes like himsagar, khirsapat, gopalbhog, langra and fazli, four of litchi and five of jujube in the nursery. Responding to a query relating to the future plan, the owner said the farm would be built as an agricultural development and marketing management institute comprising integrated farming and farmers training and consultation.

He said the sale proceeds of the nursery have gradually been increasing since beginning of its commercial operation in 2006 and tree-saplings worth about Taka nine lakh have been sold till July 10 last.