Trailblazer in Bangladesh’s agricultural sector, Umm Kulsum Poppy is the first successful female agro-influencer from the country. Her journey from a student to a social media sensation and business magnate is extraordinary.
At first, BD Assistant focused on teaching young jobless people electronics repair. Using a Facebook page, they solicited orders and promised household services. Their diligence paid off when they qualified for a trip to Mumbai by first place in a company idea contest. Poppy missed it, though, due to family restraints; Sagar went alone. Over time, their shared goals and ideals pulled them closer; they decided to be married, therefore attesting to their cooperation both personally and professionally.
From Challenges to Possibilities: The Pandemic Turning Point
The COVID-19 outbreak of 2020 hit BD Assistant severely. Since home services were not more desired for anymore, many team members left to pursue other careers. Still, Poppy and Sagar remained committed. They decided to rethink their strategy and look at new opportunities.
During the pandemic, they found a problem in Rangpur whereby transportation limitations resulted in a mango oversupply to be thrown away. Seizing the opportunity, they started “Premium Fruits,” a company serving customers all around Rangpur’s famous Harivanga mangoes. Using contract farming, producers ensure the availability of fruits free of harmful chemicals. Premium Fruits incorporated as a registered company by 2022 will thus open a new chapter in their entrepreneurial route.
Poppy’s future as an agro-influencer began to take shape in 2020. While tending Premium Fruits, she started touring farms, orchards, and agricultural businesses. She began studying agricultural science and went over books ranging from grades six through twelve, having personal instruction from farmers. Knowing the need to share this knowledge, she started creating video materials.
Filmed in 2022 on Teesta River banks, her first video included pumpkin growing. The response was very strong. Later on, she made movies on naturally occurring neem leaf-based organic pesticides to inspire people to use sustainable farming methods. Her work appealed to a wide readership from describing the benefits of leafy greens to choosing fresh vegetables.
Photo: Collected
In Bangladesh’s farming community today, Poppy is a household name. Having over 2.4 million Facebook friends and 400,000 YouTube subscribers, she has become a consistent voice for rural and urban customers alike.
An Idea for the Next Years
Vision of Poppy and Sagar goes beyond fruits. They also want to enter processed foods, safe vegetables, and agritourism. In Rangpur and Chapainawabganj, there abound vegetable fields, fruit orchards, fish ponds, and dairy farms. They wish to create places where guests could have rural experiences, pick fresh fruit, and cook veggies free of pesticides.
For Poppy, movies and business mix. She views her crops as her children and believes that working in farming is the most noble career since it promises proper treatment. Her dedication and passion have made her a model for ambitious farmers and businessmen all throughout Bangladesh.
Poppy’s story attests to tenacity, inventiveness, and the power of social media to transform life. Her road to follow entrepreneurship and agriculture with great intention inspires many more people.
