Published: 10:44 AM, 07 September 2026
Pirojpur farmer turns citrus farming into a success story
A farmer in Pirojpur has transformed his fortune through malta cultivation, turning a small 10-decimal plot into a thriving orchard and nursery while inspiring others to take up commercial citrus farming.
Rebati Shikdar, 50, of Dakatia village in Sadar upazila, started cultivating malta in 2008 with just 10 decimals of land, encouraged by advice from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the potential for a malta farming revolution in the district.
He collected 45 saplings of an Indian variety from the local market and planted and nurtured them following the advice of agricultural officials. Within three years, the orchard began producing a good yield.
Rebati said his wife's strong interest and dedicated care played the biggest role in developing the orchard.
He initially spent around Tk 25,000 to establish the orchard. His annual expenses, including seasonal workers, were around Tk 20,000, while he earned nearly Tk 1 lakh a year after meeting the family's needs.
Rebati said malta from his orchard is juicier and tastier than imported varieties, creating strong demand in the market. He sells the fruit at Tk 150 per kilogram at retail and Tk 110-120 wholesale.
Encouraged by the yield and prospects, he expanded his orchard in 2016 by planting BARI Malta-1 saplings on an additional 3.5 acres.
The expansion initially cost him around Tk 8 lakh. His annual expenses, including wages for two permanent workers, are about Tk 3 lakh.
The expanded orchard has around 1,000 malta trees along with other fruit trees.
As malta cultivation expanded in Pirojpur, Rebati also established a nursery alongside his orchard. He produces around 15,000 grafted malta saplings annually and earns about Tk 6 lakh a year by selling the saplings.
Besides producing malta, he now produces and sells saplings and hopes to expand the orchard further if government and private initiatives provide better marketing facilities.
According to the DAE, malta is currently commercially cultivated on around 436 hectares of land in Pirojpur, producing about 4,693 tonnes of fruit annually. Around 4,875 farmers are involved in malta cultivation in the district.
The area under malta cultivation increased from 375 hectares in fiscal 2023-24 to 430 hectares in FY25 and 436 hectares in FY26, according to agricultural officials.
Rebati said the malta sector in Pirojpur could undergo a major transformation if farmers receive adequate government support.
He also called for better marketing facilities to help farmers expand production and make the district a major hub for Malta cultivation.
