Off-season watermelon farming is growing year by year in Pirganj, Thakurgaon, overturning old assumptions. Favourable weather has brought a good harvest this time, farmers are happy with the prices, and the agriculture department is encouraging more of them to grow the profitable crop.
Although watermelon is known as a summer fruit, modern farming methods and new thinking have seen off-season cultivation spread in Pirganj, the department says. A few years ago only one or two farmers grew it out of season; now many grow it commercially. About 100 acres were planted in the upazila last year and about 150 acres this year, with good yields and prices raising farmers’ interest.
Farmer Abdul Kader said he has leased land from the Setabganj Sugar Mill at Ganesh Farm in Danajpur for several years to grow off-season watermelons and makes a good profit. This year he planted about six bighas, the yield was good, and wholesalers are buying from the field at Tk 30 a kg.
Farmers Rajab Ali, Kali Charan and Zahirul Islam said about 150 bighas at Ganesh Farm were planted with off-season watermelon this year, against about 100 the year before. It costs Tk 30,000 to Tk 35,000 to grow a bigha, and the crop sells for Tk 1 lakh to Tk 1.5 lakh. Selling is no problem, as wholesalers buy straight from the field, and the fruit can be harvested in two months. They plan to plant more next year.
Upazila agriculture officer Nazmul Hasan said the main watermelon season is January to April, but for several years farmers have grown the Black Berry variety off-season from August to October. The local soil and climate suit the crop, giving good yields and taste, and the department is encouraging farmers to grow it. There is risk too, he said: heavy rain can destroy the crop.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report