Coffee consumption catching on in rural areas

Although coffee is considered an expensive beverage mostly consumed by urbanites in Bangladesh, Md Mokhlesur Rahman is trying to change this perception by bringing its rich flavours to rural areas.

Hailing from Goalbari village in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur, Rahman's journey tells a tale of resilience, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

This is because what began as a modest idea to promote coffee in his native village has flourished into a full venture known as the Rangpur Coffee Club.

Nestled along the Dinajpur-Rangpur highway, Rahman's shop offers customers the chance to taste fresh brewed coffee of different blends directly sourced from his orchard.

Rahman had found work in Cox's Bazar after completing his graduation in political science in 2011.

It was then that he encountered coffee orchards in Ramu upazila, stirring a desire to popularise the beverage back home.

So, leaving behind job security, Rahman took a bold step by investing Tk 80,000 to plant 800 arabica coffee saplings on 28 decimals of land in Goalbari village in 2017.

Naturally, he suffered setbacks at first as 11 decimals of the crop were lost due to disease. However, around 450 of the coffee plants survived and eventually started providing yields in 2019.

He initially sold the raw coffee beans to refiners in Dhaka but Rahman's eureka moment came in 2021, when he started experimenting with the refining and blending process.

Following some trial and error, Rahman came up with his own winning formula and this marked the birth of the Rangpur Coffee Club as we know it today.

The tiny shop got a tremendous response right from the get-go, attracting up to 40 visitors daily.

Now, Rahman's vision has gone beyond simply serving cups of coffee as he has ventured into selling saplings to other farmers, thereby expanding domestic cultivation of the crop.

He sold 8,000 saplings for between Tk 500 and Tk 100 apiece just last year.

Motaleb Hossain, a Bangladeshi-born American, attested to the uniqueness of Rahman's coffee during a visit to Rangpur Coffee Club.

He claimed there was no difference in taste between Rahman's coffee and that produced in countries like the US.

"The proximity of the stall to the orchard adds an unparalleled charm to the experience, making it a unique destination for coffee enthusiasts," he added.

The International Coffee Organisation reports a steady increase in global demand, with Bangladesh importing coffee worth $93,800 in 2019, up 22.81 percent from the previous year.

But while Rahman is extending his orchard to cater to increasing demand, he remains conscious of sustainable practices.

Agronomist Md Aftab Hossain acknowledged that Taraganj upazila has the ideal conditions for coffee cultivation given its favourable soil, temperature, and levels of precipitation.

But aside from growing coffee, Rahman is also cultivating a legacy as his story speaks of determination, risk-taking, and the transformative power of innovation in rural communities.

This is because Rahman stands as a hero in the domestic coffee market, where demand is mostly met through imports.

As such, he is not only contributing to the local economy, but the broader narrative of global coffee consumption as well.

And as his orchard continues to grow, so too does the impact of his entrepreneurial spirit on the landscape of rural Bangladesh.

In the quiet village of Goalbari, where the whispers of coffee leaves blend with the dreams of a visionary, Rahman has brewed more than just coffee – he's created a story of hope, progress, and the irresistible allure of a steaming cup of rural innovation.