Malta Coup: Bengal Farmers Strike Gold with Fruit Discovery
When Samar Sharma, a 52-year-old shop owner in Nadia district, Bengal, saw a YouTube video claiming that Malta farming could make you rich, he dove into research about this mysterious fruit.
Malta, resembling sweet lime but with a unique ring, is primarily found in Uttarakhand, India, and is known as “siki musambi” in West Bengal.
Samar quickly transitioned from virtual curiosity to action. A friend offered him 5.5 bighas of land to grow malta, citing its exponential fruit-bearing growth, which promised millionaire status.
Inspired by Samar, Bengal farmers began cultivating maltas and selling saplings sourced from Uttarakhand.
Samar’s videos highlighted malta’s rapid growth, maintenance, returns, and local demand, attracting other farmers.
Farming videos abound on YouTube, covering various topics, including success stories and tutorials. Samar’s success led to selling 2,500 saplings to farmers across Bengal.
While Bengal’s malta farming is young, Uttarakhand has a rich history. Harvested green in Bengal, the fruit is nutritious.
Samar Sharma, Saktipada Sarkar, Kuntal Ghosh, Sirajus Salekin, and Firoj Akhtar transitioned to malta farming, lured by social media.
Salekin, near Bangladesh, turned to Nadia for saplings after failing in Bangladesh.
Ghosh, in Alipurduar, favored malta for its lower investment and longer tree lifespan.
Akhtar, a mango farmer, shifted to malta due to lower costs and faster returns. Samar Sharma turned a Rs 1.5 lakh investment in 2022 into Rs 14 lakh the next year.
However, not all YouTube advice proved reliable; Sarkar lost plants to a foreigner’s spray mixture.