Coffee cultivation shows promise in Ctg Hill Tracts

Coffee is one of the most popular caffeinated beverages in the world with people from all over reaching for a cup whenever they need an extra shot of energy.

Although much of the coffee consumed in Bangladesh is imported, few know that the beans can be grown locally.

In fact, an experimental attempt at cultivating two types of coffee -- Robusta and Arabica-- along the Chittagong Hill Tracts has yielded positive results.

However, the journey was not a short one as it took 10 years for agriculturists to prove that Robusta is suitable for cultivation in Khagrachari while Arabica is perfect for growing in hilly areas of Bandarban.

Other than individual initiatives, projects initiated by the government and non-government organisations have achieved promising results while providing locals with an additional source of income.

The first time coffee was cultivated in Khagrachari was at the Hill Agriculture Research Center in 2001.

Initially, 395 Robusta saplings and 200 Arabica saplings were cultivated. After that, 10,000 more saplings were planted in 10 gardens across the district.

Later, when coffee growing proved to be a commercial success, various development agencies, including the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board, took up programmes to expand cultivation.

Sumion Bawm, a farmer from Ruma upazila in Bandarban, said he has cultivated 100 saplings in the past three years and harvested 25 kilogrammes (kg) just recently.

He then sold the raw coffee for Tk 400 per kg.

Considering his previous success, Bawm planted another 500 Arabica coffee saplings in his cashew nut field this year.

He went on to say that while consumption is higher than what it was three years ago, local suppliers cannot cater to the total demand.

"Wholesalers from all over the country contact us for a supply," Bawm added.

Many coffee producers in the Mro community of the Bandarban Chimbuk Hill area said he initially neglected his coffee plants but eventually took it seriously after hearing that another local had secured good profits.

As such, he planted about 1,200 saplings four ago and sold around 20 kg of the beans last year.

Tuhfa, Rahat and Lalkimzual Bawm, who sell coffee produced in are through a Facebook page called "HarvestHill.bd", said they collect the beans from local farmers in the Ruma and Thanchi upazilas of Bandarban.

The beans cost about Tk 900 per kg before the husks are removed while the raw berries they come in go for as much as Tk 500 per kg.

The three entrepreneurs said they sold 30 kgs of coffee last month but they are unable to meet the total demand.

Shiaung Khumi, a member of the Bandarban Zilla Parishad, said coffee cultivation on Chimbuk Hill began in 2016, when he cultivated and distributed saplings for free among interested farmers.

Mainly farmers from the Ruma and Rawngchari upazilas received the coffee sapling but were unable to secure any harvest as they lacked proper understanding on how to care for the plants.

There are about 8 farmers in the two upazilas that were given coffee saplings five years ago.

Munshi Rashid Ahmed, chief scientist of the Khagrachari Hill Research Center, said most farmers are still uninterested in cultivating coffee as they struggle with processing and marketing the beans.

However, they fail to understand that coffee is easy to cultivate as it requires little work while the plants provide yields for 50 to 60 years.

Coffee can be harvested within three years of being planted. Robusta berries ripen in the December-January period while Arabica can be harvested in early November.

Coffee cultivation has good potential in the hill tracts as the sil and weather conditions are suitable.

In addition, as coffee beans are dry, farmers can preserve them easily at home and market them slowly, he added.

Ahmed then said the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute and the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) initiated a project on coffee cultivation two years ago.

"After finishing the project, we plan to establish a coffee processing factory," he added.

A collaboration between the Hill Agriculture Research Center and Rangamati DAE produced 1,000 coffee saplings in the Sajek area of Rangamati in 2019.

USAID's SAPLING project started working in the country by providing 220 potential coffee producers with the required support.

In August 2018, the project sent the six top coffee producers from Bandarban to Nepal to attend a four-day training camp. There, they learned new techniques in propagation, nursery management, intercultural operations, and proper post-harvest handling of beans.

These six top coffee producers further trained 13 fellow coffee producers in the technical aspects of production, including the proper distancing of seedlings, pruning, fertilising, and post-harvest management.

As the project ended in 2021, the USAID's Bandarban Agriculture and Nutrition Initiative (BANI) has picked up the efforts to engage 220 coffee producers from the Bandarban sadar and Ruma upazilas by aiding in capacity development and market facilitation.

USAID is continuing to foster Bandarban's nascent coffee producers by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to harvest and sell their unique beans.

BANI provides monthly training sessions while BANI trained Market Development Officers and Field Facilitators provide regular technical support and troubleshooting for the 220 coffee producers.