Coffee is known as a very popular drink all over the world. Bangladesh is no exception. Although almost all of the coffee used in the country is currently imported, the day is not far when the coffee produced in Bangladesh will win the export market of the world. And this possibility is shown by the scientists of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute. Their invented Hybrid Bari Coffee-1 variety of coffee is not only unique in quality and value, but also high yielding; As a result, it is also profitable for the farmers.
A stall of Khagrachari Hill Agriculture Research Center of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute was spotted at an exhibition organized at PKSF Bhawan in Sher Bangla Nagar of the capital on Tuesday (March 5). It also contained roasted coffee beans from raw coffee grown in the country, including coffee plants. There was also an opportunity to taste this coffee for those interested.
The potential of coffee cultivation in Bangladesh
There is great potential for coffee cultivation in the hilly regions of Bangladesh. The Chittagong Hill Tracts region has 92 percent high land, which is highly suitable for coffee cultivation.
Scientists have been researching coffee cultivation and marketing for the past 20 years at the Hill Agriculture Research Center located in Khagrachari to exploit this potential. Along the way of this research, they also succeeded in developing a high-yielding (Ufshi) variety of coffee, Bari Coffee-1.
Hilly land is ideal for coffee cultivation
Saurabh Marma, Scientific Officer of the Coffee-Cashew Nut Cultivation Project of Hill Agriculture Research Center in Khagrachari, said that the ‘Bari Coffee-1′ variety of coffee is being cultivated in Chittagong Hill Tracts’ Noti Upazila. These coffee seedlings have been given to the farmers and there has been a great response in this coffee cultivation. The soil of Chittagong Hill Tracts is very suitable for coffee cultivation. Because the land is high in the hilly areas. So water does not accumulate here.
He said, additional land is not required to cultivate this coffee tree. Because it is possible to cultivate this coffee tree in the shade of mango orchards, litchi gardens or other garden trees.
Saurabh Marma said that they will provide all necessary support to the farmers in coffee cultivation and marketing.
World’s Second Best Coffee ‘Bari Coffee-1’
Project Director of Cashew Nut-Coffee Research Development and Expansion Project of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute. Md. Altaf Hossain said that the coffee of Bangladesh was the second best in the world ranking. Bari Coffee-1 has a moderate amount of caffeine compared to other imported coffees, and the flavor is much better.
He said, many times the original flavor is not available in the coffee coming from abroad. The original flavor is available in this indigenous coffee. If the cultivation of this domestic type of coffee is spread, foreign currency will be saved in the country; On the other hand, foreign currency can be earned through exports.
Altaf Hossain also said that the climate of the country is very suitable for coffee cultivation. It does not require additional land to cultivate it. Can be cultivated among other plants in the garden. Besides, this coffee can be cultivated in the fallow lands which are not cultivated. This coffee tree is especially good in the hilly land of hilly areas.
Stating that this coffee will be very profitable economically, he said that it is possible to earn three lakh taka per year from one bigha of land by cultivating this coffee. A maximum yield of 25 kg per year is possible from one tree.
Coffee market in the country and world
Currently, the demand for coffee in the country is about two thousand metric tons. 600 crore worth of coffee is bought and sold annually. On the other hand, one million tons of coffee beans are produced annually in the world. The export market of coffee in the world is worth four and a half billion dollars. The cultivation of coffee is gradually increasing in the country. In 2022, 62 tons of coffee was produced in the country.
