Probably we all feel better all day if we start off by eating healthy. One’s breakfast might be simple: multigrain toast with peanut butter, oatmeal or healthy cereal but if one combines it with a bowl of fruits or just a glass of fruit juice, then one gets that perfect energy and boost for the day. And what if I say you are no far away from getting fruits like Dragonfruits, Malta or Ram Butan at your doorstep! Yes, the young entrepreneurs of the Goalpara district of Assam together with the District Administration has made this possible.
Dragonfruit Farm:
The Dragonfruit farm is located in Agia region of Goalpara. Subhash Rabha, who started this farm in 2019, got the idea when he first saw this fruit growing in a farm in Delhi. He is undergoing training now for further development of the farm, which is now currently been looked after by his brother. This year, the production has been 3 quintals and it would reach about 6 quintals next year. Other young entrepreneurs of the district has also shown much interest in farming and production of this fruit and they hope that they can make it big real soon.
BARI Sweet Malta Orchard:
The Malta Orchard is located in Dohikota, Matia region of Goalpara. This farm was started by Bipul Chandra Nath, who got this idea and support from a National Award Winner, Dr. Golam Morshed Abdul Halim of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). Along with Malta, the farm is also a home to a special breed of fruit which is a cross between apple and guava. The Agriculture department has provided the farm with drip irrigation and fencing. The owner’s son has also shown much interest in carrying this entrepreneurship forward and together they hope to expand their farm real soon.
Ram Butan Orchard:
The Ram Butan Orchard is located in Kuhipat Nursery, Bakaitari village, Dudhnoi, Goalpara. The owner of this nursery is Kangkan Sharma and probably he is the first farmer in Assam to have started production of this fruit. The scientific name of this fruit is Nephelium Lappaceum. Originally grown in Indonesia and Malaysia, this fruit is not only grown in South-east Asian countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Phillippines, Singapore but also in the state of Kerela in India in huge amounts. The owner brought the first sapling of this fruit from Kerela in 2017.
Cocoa Orchard:
Goalpara is not only a home to a variety of unknown fruits, but it also has a Cocoa orchard hidden at the heart if it. This orchard is located in the Mazpara village of the district. KhungkhraKachari, who started this farm, brought the Cocoa seeds (commonly known as Chocolate) from South India. In Assam, it takes 18-24 months for the fruits to flower but in Kerela, because of the hot weather there, it takes from 3-5 years. The Cocoa powder is also processed from the fruits out here.
These fruits are all a healing balm for people to repair what has been damaged. These young entrepreneurs of Goalpara have done all the hard work that has been required to harvest these fruits and now they are ready to share it with the world. All they require is a bit of support from the Government and from the common people. Let’s make them reach wide and global because they deserve this.
