Abu Bakar Siddiqui Suman, a farmer from Bailakhali village in Babuganj upazila of Barishal, has transformed his life and the local economy through commercial papaya cultivation. His venture has not only made him financially self-reliant but has also created employment opportunities for local youths and trained thousands of aspiring agricultural entrepreneurs across Bangladesh.
From Struggle to Success
Suman's journey began with financial hardship, forcing him to leave school in the ninth grade. He worked for the Bangladesh Railway and later sought better opportunities abroad, traveling to Beirut, Lebanon. However, escalating conflict forced him to return home after 17 months, passing through Syria and Palestine. Back in Bangladesh, he worked as a painter and day laborer in Dhaka.
His turning point came in 2021 when, seeking a loan for fish farming, he was advised by Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Saiduzzaman to combine fish farming with papaya cultivation. With a government loan of Taka 50,000, Suman launched his farming venture. Despite initial setbacks, he imported papaya seeds from Gazipur and started producing seedlings himself, applying agricultural techniques he had learned while working in South Africa.
Innovative Farming Practices
Today, Suman's farm spans 1.48 acres, with approximately 1,250 mature papaya trees planted alongside the embankments of three fish ponds. He cultivates premium varieties including Shahi, Kashmiri, and Top Lady. Each tree produces an average of four to five maunds of fruit, with some papayas weighing as much as five kilograms.
According to the Barishal Department of Agricultural Extension, Suman has sold nearly Taka 60 lakh worth of papayas and Taka 1.60 crore worth of papaya seedlings over the past five years, earning an estimated profit of Taka 60 lakh. His nursery business has seen remarkable growth, selling 600,000 seedlings in 2026 alone. Suman has also built a modern polyhouse with the goal of selling 20 lakh seedlings nationwide next year.
In addition to papayas, Suman grows various vegetables along the embankments of his fish ponds using trellis cultivation, generating several hundred thousand taka in additional annual income. He operates a free training center where he provides hands-on instruction in commercial papaya cultivation. More than 2,000 agricultural entrepreneurs have received training and established successful farming businesses.
Suman's contributions to high-yield farming on limited land have earned him seven national and international awards. Local residents say his achievements have inspired many others to enter commercial farming. Babuganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdur Rauf praised Suman's efforts, describing him as a hardworking and innovative agricultural entrepreneur.
