Thai guava cultivation bringing success to many

Shafiqul Islam, a farmer in Putia upazila of Rajshahi, initially started growing a new variety of guava, called Thai guava, on five bighas of leased land about five years ago in hopes of turning his fortunes.

And while he was initially sceptical about the crop's potential, his doubts have since been blown away as Thai guava has become a favourite among the people of Bangladesh.

"I was not aware about the prospect of Thai guava as I was doubtful about the yield and profit, but my doubts eventually turned into hope after getting results," Islam said.

Having attainted financial freedom, Islam now looks to expand his guava orchard.

After meeting all the expenses, his current orchard rakes in a profit of about TK 3 lakh per year.

Like Islam, many other farmers have also changed their fates by farming Thai guava.

Abu Bakar Siddique, a resident of the Madanhaat area of Natore, once struggled to support his six-member family through his scrap recycling business.

In a bold step, he obtained a loan of Tk 3 lakh and started farming Thai guava on three bighas of land.

After enjoying early success, he invested Tk 10 lakh to expand his farm last year and got good yields and profits.

The latest data from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) shows that guavas were grown on more than 88,938 hectares of land across the country to produce some 430,000 tonnes of the fruit in fiscal 2021-22.

Of the total production, Thai guava accounted for about 70 per cent.

Overall, guava production has increased 34 per cent from 3.2 lakh tonnes seven years ago.

DAE officials say that while the fruit is grown throughout Bangladesh, the highest production takes place in Rajshahi.

About 3,052 hectares of land in the region were brought under guava cultivation in fiscal 2021-22 to get a yield of 73,314 tonnes of the fruit.

Chapainawabganj, Natore and Barishal are also major producing districts while significant quantities of guava are grown in Pirojpur, Pabna, Tangail, and several hilly areas as well.

There are approximately 10,600 guava orchards across the country.

In addition, there are around 10,000 mixed fruit orchards throughout Bangladesh where guavas are grown.

With its reasonable price, delicious taste, and year-round availability, the fruit has gained widespread popularity, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic for its high vitamin-c content.

Introduced in 2010, researchers at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute have since developed several varieties of guava, including Thai 1, 2, 3, and 7, according to the DAE's Horticulture Wing.

One of the largest wholesale markets for guava is Karwan Bazar in Dhaka, where over 25,000 metric tonnes of the fruit are brought in from various regions of the country, local businessmen say.

The majority of these guavas are of the Thai variety as they have higher demand, said Md Daud Bhuiyan, a local wholesaler.

"Farmers are attracted to Thai guava due to its high yield and profitable returns," said Md Abdul Halim, deputy project director of the Year-Round Food Production for Nutrition Improvement Project of the DAE's Horticulture Wing.

According to him, Thai guava has become a cash crop.

"I hope we will be able to export this variety in the near future," he added.

Anamika Dhar, a primary school teacher, shared her thoughts on the popularity of this fruit with The Daily Star.

Dhar said the affordability and nutritional value of Thai guava make it an attractive choice for many consumers.

She then pointed out that Thai guava is relatively cheaper compared to other fruits and has a nutritional value equivalent to that of apples.