The Madaripur Horticulture Centre has built a collection of around 200 cactus species and sold plants worth Tk5 lakh over the past two years.
The centre turned the government facility into a growing hub for cactus cultivation and affordable ornamental plants.
Located at the Mostafapur Boro Bridge area in Madaripur Sadar Upazila, the centre now houses a wide range of cacti featuring diverse shapes, colours and textures, ranging from thorny and hard varieties to smooth and soft ones.
Officials said the initiative began as a personal effort by the centre’s deputy director, agriculturist Ashutosh Kumar Biswas, who started collecting cacti out of personal interest before expanding the collection through purchases from online platforms, nurseries, private homes and field visits across different districts.
Within two years, the collection expanded to 200 species, many of which are now being propagated for commercial distribution across Madaripur and other districts.
Centre officials said two dedicated cactus houses have been set up to produce saplings using seeds, cuttings, grafting and offshoot methods, depending on the species, and the plants will be ready for sale by March next year.
They said demand for cactus plants in the district has exceeded initial expectations, prompting the centre to scale up production using multiple propagation techniques.
Among the notable varieties cultivated at the centre are chocolate cactus, opuntia, euphorbia, bishop’s cap, rat’s tail cactus, fairy castle, mammillaria, astrophytum, rainbow cactus, brain cactus, golden barrel, coral cactus, old man cactus and monkey tail cactus, alongside many others.
The centre also produces and sells fruit, flower and medicinal plants, recording overall plant sales of Tk42 lakh in the last fiscal year, officials said.
Visitors regularly arrive with families to buy plants and tour the facility, which has gradually become a local recreational spot due to its organised layout and diverse plant collection.
Local history researcher Subal Biswas said the presence of 200 cactus species in one place was rare and praiseworthy at the district level, adding that the centre’s broader collection of fruit, flower and medicinal plants further increased its value.
Visitor Tamim Matubbar said the variety of plants made the centre a refreshing place to visit, prompting frequent family trips.
Local cultural organisation Shuvakash Ishara General Secretary Zumman Hossain said plants were cheaper at the horticulture centre than at private nurseries, encouraging residents to buy directly from the facility due to better pricing and quality.
Deputy Director agriculturist Ashutosh Kumar Biswas said cactus plants are often expensive in the market, preventing many enthusiasts from buying them, which is why the centre focuses on producing saplings from collected plants to sell at lower prices.
He said the number of cactus species would continue to increase as demand grows, with buyers already coming from outside the district, adding that the plants are easy to maintain and suitable for indoor decoration.
