Jashore farmer finds success in ‘persimmon’ farming

Japan’s national fruit “persimmon” is now being cultivated successfully in Chaugachha upazila of Jashore, where farmer Zulfiqar Ali Siddiqui has drawn considerable attention for producing the exotic fruit on Bangladeshi soil.

Rich in nutrients and known for its sweet taste, persimmon is still relatively uncommon in Bangladesh. Zulfiqar’s success has therefore sparked curiosity among local residents, many of whom are visiting his orchard every day to see the fruit.

Zulfiqar, son of the late Munshi Abdul Khalek, hails from Hijli, a border village under Swarupdaha union. He has been involved in the nursery business for nearly 25 years and, in recent years, has also turned his attention to fruit cultivation.

His orchard now has several varieties of fruit, including persimmon. He has cultivated the fruit on around one bigha of land and has achieved a bumper yield this season.

The fruits have not yet reached the market, but harvesting and sales are expected to begin within a couple of weeks. Zulfiqar said persimmons currently sell for around Tk1,200 per kilogramme in Bangladesh.

During a recent visit to the orchard on a rainy morning, Zulfiqar was found resting at home due to illness, while his younger brother, Habibur Rahman, was tending to the plants.

Habibur said his elder brother had long been enthusiastic about experimenting with different crops. Zulfiqar once served as an imam at a mosque while also looking after his nursery. Over time, he began cultivating fruits including Malta, grapes and pomegranates.

He later added persimmon to the list.

According to Habibur, Zulfiqar developed connections with many people through his nursery business and obtained persimmon saplings through one such contact.

“My brother has proved that persimmon can be cultivated successfully in Bangladesh,” Habibur said.

“The fruit looks somewhat like an orange, and the trees are laden with fruit. Persimmon sells for around Tk1,200 a kilogramme. Judging by this year’s yield, we expect to market several maunds of fruit,” he added.

Local residents Sannyasi Haldar, Shukur Ali and Tipu Sultan said Zulfiqar’s venture had created a stir across the upazila.

“The fruits have started ripening. We have tasted them and found them very delicious,” they said.

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They added that Zulfiqar’s success had inspired many others in the area to consider cultivating persimmon.

Habibur said the government had also provided Zulfiqar with a polyhouse built at a cost of nearly Tk50 lakh in recognition of his success in fruit farming.

He said the facility would allow the cultivation of different varieties of fruit while reducing pest attacks and protecting crops from adverse weather and natural disasters.

Officials from the local agriculture office have already inspected the facility, which is expected to be inaugurated soon.

According to health experts, persimmon is a nutritious and naturally sweet fruit rich in vitamins A and C. Regular consumption can help support the immune system and contribute to overall health.

Chaugachha Upazila Agriculture Officer Musabbir Hossain praised Zulfiqar’s initiative.“We are proud of Zulfiqar Ali Siddiqui’s success. Recently, the upazila nirbahi officer and I visited his orchard and were impressed to see the fruits on the trees,” he said.

“Farmers can benefit financially by cultivating new varieties of fruit, while such initiatives can also contribute to the country’s economy. That is why we continue to encourage farmers to take up new and promising crops,” he added.