Malta garden granted him the ways to implementing the dream and becoming successful entrepreneur.

He has given concentrated efforts to make a garden of mixed fruits. 

Apart from malta, the garden is equipped with mango, guava and lemons, attracting hundreds of visitors.

Graduated from the Feni government college, Nurul Haider Kochi, son of Jalal Ahmed of Jangalia village under Purbo Chandrapur model union, started a business in Chattogram.

Later, he constructed the fruit garden on two acres of abandoned land in his village home.

An on-the-spot visit shows that the garden is enriched with BARI-1 malta fruits hanging from the queued trees.

Established in 2019, the fruit garden also comprises vegetables which are sources of additional earnings for Kochi. 

Visitors from Dagonbhuiyan and adjoining neighbourhoods flock to the garden every day and get encouraged to follow the example of Kochi.

Arifur Rahman, a teacher of Silonia High School, said “Malta cultivation in the area was totally unknown to me. Based on hearsay, I have visited the garden.  I am really impressed. Kochi’s project proves that fruit garden can be economically viable and more profitable than traditional crops.”

Shah Alam, a resident of the locality, said he is trying to make a garden in line with Kochi.

Nurul Haider Kochi said “Every week, I come to village from Chattogram and spend two days for the garden. Some people are employed in the project. I started commercial production of BARI-1 malta which is selling at Tk 5,000 per maund. I am optimistic about selling one ton of malta this year, two tons next year and four tons in the third year.”

Replying to a query, he said it costs Tk 30,000 for production of malta in one bigha of land while earning from it is more than Tk 1 lakh.

Mahiuddin Majumder, upazila agriculture officer, said “Nurul Haider Kochi is the first to establish malta garden in the upazila. The garden is under support of Panchgachia horticulture centre. Upazila agriculture office is also supervising the project. Other people in the upazila will follow example of Kochi.”