By Dr Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, Feb 5, 2022 (BSS) - Many youths have made fortunes through commercial flower farming as it becomes a blessing for them in the region, including its vast barind tract.

The enthusiastic youths have found the path of becoming successful entrepreneurs through flower farming with their investments.

Hassan Al Sadi has established a commercial garden on around eight bigha of lands in Polashbari area under Paba Upazila with diversified flower plants attracting many flower-loving people to visit every day.

There are tulip, celosia, servida, pitulia, gladiolus, pongee, verbena, gejenia, china gada, drip chandra mallika, clox and cosmos flower in his 'dreamers garden' creating an eye-catching look at present.     

Hassan Sadi, a resident of Chapainawabganj, got inspiration after seeing a tulip garden at Shripur in Gazipur district and established his 'dreamers garden' in 2020. He also used the open spaces of the mango orchard for flower production by inter-cropping.

Talking to BSS, he said there is an enormous prospect of promoting flower farming in mango orchards as intercropping in the region because huge lands remain fallow more than six to eight months every year.

Zafar Iqbal, 48, a resident of Proshadpara village of the same upazila, has set a bright example in flower farming in the region.

Around three years back, he started flower farming on only ten katha of land and that was the turning point of his life.

At present, he, in full cooperation of his wife Nusrat Jahan, has been cultivating flowers on more than ten bigha of lands after getting tremendous success.

Sohel Rana, a resident of Bagha Upazila, has become an icon in this field since he initiated his business in 2014. In the initial year, he sold flowers worth around Taka 8,000 after spending Taka 3,000.

This year, he has already sold flowers worth Taka 40,000 and flowers of more Taka 45,000 to 50,000 will be hoped to be sold.

 Rana, who obtained a post-graduation degree in Islamic History from Rajshahi College in 2016, attributed that he gets the highest flowers in January and February. Every flower stick is being sold at Taka 10 to 12 and he receives Taka 7 to 8 per stick from wholesalers coming from Rajshahi, Natore and Ishwardi.   

Bagha Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiullah Sultan told BSS that many farmers are getting success in farming of both flowers and its seedlings. “We are inspiring the farmers to cultivate the flowers providing seeds to them,” he added.

The farming of different varieties of flowers including gladiolus, marigold, rose, tuberose and gerbera is gaining popularity across the region during the current season.

 Owing to the lucrative market price, many farmers are getting involved in cultivating flowers, said officials of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
The cultivation of gladiolus flower has turned a boon for Kayum Ali, a farmer of Godagari Upazila. He said he made a huge profit in 2012 farming this variety of flower.

"I have cultivated the flower on one and half bighas of land spending around Taka 25,000 this year and already sold flowers worth Taka 1.80 lakh," Kayum said.

He said with a smiling face that he is hopeful to make a profit of around Taka 1.85 lakh in a season and increase the acreage in the years to come.

Khayer Uddin Mollah, Additional Director of the DAE, said gladiolus sticks of different colours like white, red, yellow, scarlet, pink, violet, rosy, lipstick and blue are grown in the same plot. The flower can be harvested within 70 days and it grows all over the year, he added.

He said flowers are the most beautiful gifts of nature and people of all age love flowers so farmers should be encouraged to promote flower farming in the region.