Mahmud Hasan Stalin, a 36-year-old young agricultural entrepreneur from Maheshpur upazila, has found remarkable success cultivating the exotic passion fruit, locally known as “Anarkoli.” Despite being a foreign fruit, Anarkoli is increasingly popular in Bangladesh for its unique flavor and aroma. While its cultivation began a few years ago in the country’s hilly regions, Stalin is the first to commercially grow the fruit on plain land.
The young farmer hails from Ghughri village under the Panthapara Union of Maheshpur upazila in Jhenaidah district. Known for its mildly sweet and tangy taste, the Anarkoli or passion fruit—also referred to as “Tang fruit” in Bangladesh—is gaining popularity in local markets. Each fruit sells at a wholesale price of Tk 10 to Tk 15. The crop can be grown entirely through organic farming without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, keeping production costs low and eliminating health risks.
Stalin began his agricultural journey six to seven years ago, driven by his passion for modern and innovative farming techniques. Initially, he cultivated dragon fruit, malta, guava, and grapes on six bighas of land. His interest in passion fruit grew after learning about it through media reports, prompting him to experiment on a small scale with only two decimals of land. Encouraged by good results, he now grows the fruit commercially on two and a half bighas. Within two years of planting, his orchard began yielding a high volume of fruit and significant profits.
Speaking to the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Stalin said he initially planted 20 passion fruit trees on two decimals of land. Two years later, those trees produced about 10,000 fruits, which he sold at Tk 10 to Tk 15 each, earning nearly Tk 120,000. His total production cost was around Tk 10,000, resulting in a handsome annual profit from a very small plot of land.
He added that cultivating one bigha of Anarkoli costs between Tk 50,000 and Tk 60,000, while the potential income from a good harvest ranges from Tk 1.2 million to Tk 1.4 million. Each tree continues to bear fruit for about eight months—from April to December—providing a steady source of income.
Following the success of his initial small-scale cultivation, Stalin expanded his orchard to two and a half bighas using profits from earlier harvests. He also reinvested his earnings into establishing new plantations of dragon fruit, guava, and malta.
“Now I have passion fruit trees on two and a half bighas of land,” Stalin told BSS. “Each tree is full of fruits, flowers, and buds. It is very satisfying to see the garden thriving.”
He recalled that when he first began growing the fruit, many people mocked him for attempting to cultivate an unfamiliar crop. “Now, no one laughs anymore,” he said. “Each branch of the trees is loaded with fruit, and demand is growing steadily. Prices are good, and the response from buyers has been very encouraging.”
According to agricultural experts, passion fruit, known internationally by that name but locally as Anarkoli or Tang fruit, is rich in vitamin C, iron, zinc, and other nutrients. It requires no chemical fertilizers and can be cultivated entirely through organic methods, making it both eco-friendly and safe for consumers.
Manik Hossain Miaji, a resident of Ghughri village, said that Stalin’s orchard has attracted visitors and entrepreneurs from distant areas. “The amount of fruit on each tree is astonishing, and the taste is excellent,” he said.
Another local resident, Billal Hossain, said that when Stalin first started, many villagers ridiculed him for planting an unknown fruit. “But when the trees started bearing fruit, everyone realized their mistake,” he said. “Now people from different regions are coming to buy the fruits and seedlings.”
Stalin said that about 10 kathas of land can produce hundreds of thousands of passion fruits annually. “The fruits are sold by piece, and the production cost is very low while the profit margin is high,” he added.
Md. Kamruzzaman, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Jhenaidah, praised Stalin’s success, saying the district’s fertile soil supports the growth of diverse local and foreign fruits. “Farmers here are hardworking and innovative,” he said. “Mahmud Hasan Stalin’s success in cultivating the foreign passion fruit is truly remarkable. If more young people follow his example and invest in modern agriculture, they too can achieve self-reliance with minimal investment.”
