America's superfood quinoa first cultivated in Sariakandi, retired bank official

In a first for Sariakandi upazila, retired banker Abdul Hannan has successfully harvested quinoa, a high-value "superfood" originally from South America. He cultivated the crop on a 12-decimal experimental plot in the Deluabari area of Sadar Union.

While quinoa has been grown in isolated parts of Bangladesh since 2022 following research at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, this is the first time the climate-resilient crop has reached Sariakandi.

Low Cost, High Yield Abdul Hannan, who retired five years ago, was inspired by YouTube tutorials to try his hand at the exotic crop. He purchased 250 grams of seed from Panchagarh for just 200 BDT. "The total cost for my plot was only 6,000 BDT," Hannan shared. "I expect a yield of nearly 80 kilograms (two maunds). I plan to save most of it as seeds to expand cultivation to 2–3 bighas next year."

Nutritional Powerhouse Often called the "mother of all grains," quinoa is the only plant-based source containing all nine essential amino acids. It is rich in iron, magnesium, and fiber, making it highly beneficial for managing diabetes and high blood pressure.

Market Potential The local agriculture department is optimistic about the results. Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohammad Ali Jinnah noted that quinoa is a medicinal-grade crop that thrives in sandy, loamy soil during the winter.

"The yield is very promising," Jinnah said. "However, the primary challenge remains market connectivity. If we can link local farmers with supermarkets and urban health-food markets where imported quinoa sells for high prices, it could become a major profitable variety for this region."