Being informed about the process of cultivation of sweet, delicious food Tiin (Ara fruit or Fig of Ficus group) from a Turkish friend in Singapore, Soyeb Sadik of Shahjahanpur of Bogura returned to his home during the Corona period and started to cultivate some 600 saplings of the fruit tree on two bighas of land.
Just within three months after the transplantation of the saplings, flowers and fruits start to appear on the branches of the trees. Under the stem of each leaf, young green Tiin fruits are seen to cling on and when ripened those would turn red or maroon in colour.
Mentioned in the Holy Quran, this fruit bears medicinal qualities and is very sweet and delicious in taste. Enriched with Potassium, Calcium and other potential ingredients, the fruit is useful for resisting Breast Cancer, controlling High Blood Pressure and developing eyesight.
Agriculture Department officials informed there is a prospect of commercial cultivation of Tiin fruit in the country.
Soyeb Sadique Nabin, Proprietor of Nabin Agro Limited of Shahjahanpur of Bogura is known as the first entrepreneur to cultivate the Tiin tree commercially in Bangladesh.
He said young man should not queue for jobs and should become self-reliant.
He said, by cultivating 300 Tiin fruit trees on two bighas of land at a cost of Taka 200,000, it is possible to earn 600,000 to 800,000 by
selling fruits and saplings of the trees every year.
He further informed, it is possible to pluck three kgs of fruit from each tree at the first year and seven to 10 kgs of fruits can be procured from the same tree at the second year and up to 25 kgs of fruit during the
third year from a single tree and a tree would yield fruits till next 30 to 40 year.
Moreover, more than 20 saplings can be made through the Tissue Culture process from an eight month aged tree.
The tree yields fruits throughout the year. One kgs of fruits containing 12 to 15 is sold at Tk 500 (per kg). Moreover, each sapling of the tree can be sold at Tk 200.
Nure Alam, Upazila Agriculture Officer if Shahjahanpur informed, the Tiin flower has been cultivated successfully at Aria area of the upazila.
Tiin is a high value fruit and upazila Agriculture Department will render technological assistance to any entrepreneur interested in cultivation of the fruit.
Abdur Rahim, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department of Bogura informed Tiin is being cultivated commercially in Bogura. The trees are growing well and a good yield of fruits is expected.
This fruit is enriched with various vitamins and minerals and bears a bright commercial prospect in the country.
