A farmer in Panchagarh is showing how two crops can grow together and create a stronger business from the same land. Basirul Alam Pradhan, a former upazila chairman from Mohanpara village in Panchagarh Sadar, has turned space inside his 22-acre tea garden into a productive mango farm, making his land work harder and bringing in extra cash. Locally known as Alam Chairman, he has planted mango trees between the tea bushes so the taller trees can also give shade to the tea plants. His garden now holds about 5,000 Banana Mango trees, 50 Amrapali trees, and more than 100 other foreign types. The result has been promising. He earned about Tk40 lakh from mango sales in one year and Tk25 lakh the next, while his tea harvest also improved from 1,67,671 kilograms to 2,05,489 kilograms. He is currently selling green tea leaves at Tk36 per kilogram. Pradhan says his work comes from a deep love of farming, and he wants younger growers to use modern methods and think in smarter ways. His garden has become a local example, and many people now visit it to learn from his approach. Agriculture officials say this kind of farming makes good use of empty land that is often left unused in tea estates. They explain that planting fruit trees between tea rows can add a second source of income and help farmers stay stable when tea prices fall. The idea is simple but powerful: if one crop faces trouble, the other crop can help keep the farm running. Local experts and nursery managers have also praised the model and say regular technical advice can help such farms grow even better. Officials who visited the site believe the garden can continue to do well with proper care, showing that mixed farming can be both practical and profitable. Pradhan’s work is a reminder that farming does not always need more land to earn more. Sometimes it only needs better planning, careful use of space, and the courage to try something new. His tea-and-mango model may now serve as a useful example for other farmers looking for steady income and a safer future from the same plot of land.
