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Bitter gourd farming gaining ground in Bogura

20,000 tonnes grown on 1,100 hectares of land annually


Published : 28 Aug 2021 08:53 PM

According to Bogura office of the Department of Agricultural Extensions (DAE), people's eating habits have changed vastly due to increasing health awareness. As a result, the demand for nutritious vegetables including bitter gourd that is better known as ‘Korolla’ or ‘Uchche’ to locals has increased as well.

This in the process has renewed the interest of Bogura farmers in cultivating bitter gourd. The amount of land brought under bitter gourd farming is increasing every year as it is profitable at low cost in a short time, sources added.

Bitter gourd farmers in Bogura are now smiling after getting good prices for good yields. Bitter gourds grown in Bogura are going to different places of the country after meeting the demand of the district. This time too, the agriculture department is expecting more production than the target.

Visiting different areas of the district, lush green bitter gourds were seen swaying among the green trees in the fields while, some of them had turned reddish as a sign of ripening. Twice a day, local farmers pick up the vegetables from the land and take it to the market. 

Bitter gourd is cultivated throughout the year in the whole district. Bogura Sadar, Shibganj, Sonatala, Gabtali, Sariakandi, Shajahanpur upazilas produce local improved varieties as well as BARRI and hybrid varieties of the bitter vegetable. 

Bitter gourd can be obtained from the tree within 40 days of sowing the seed and farmers can collect them for more than a month. Using organic manure and other fertilizers and pesticides, up to 60 mounds of bitter gourd can be harvested per bigha of land. 

As such, farmers can collect bitter gourd worth around Tk 1 lakh at a cost of Tk 15 to 20 thousand from per Bigha of land. Bitter gourd cultivated land does not cost much to cultivate other crops later, informed the farmers.

Ramzan Ali, a farmer from Meghagachha village in Bogura Sadar Upazila, benefited from cultivating bitter gourd on 20 acres of land last year. 

This time he has cultivated the same on 33 acres of land with the expectations of selling bitter gourd worth Tk one lakh this season. 

Shamsul Alam, another farmer from the same area, said, “I have cultivated bitter gourd on more land this time compared to last year. It costs about Tk 20,000 per Bigha to grow this vegetable. I have sold bitter gourd worth Tk 70,000 in the last 14 days. I will be able to collect more of them from the land for another 15 days.”

At the beginning of harvesting, biter gourd is sold at Tk 60 to 80 per kg, but when more of them starts coming to the market, the price comes down a bit. 

Wholesale price then comes down to Tk 30 to 25 per kg, which is sold in the retail market at Tk 30 to 40 per kg. Within a month of picking the bitter gourd from the field, farmers see a profit by deducting the cost of production.

Farmers in the Meghagachha area of Sadar said that they have to use dung manure, Khail, urea, potash and pesticides for the production of bitter gourd.

It is learned that due to good yield at low cost, farmers have cultivated bitter gourd on more land this time than last year. Their interest has increased by getting good prices. Seeing the success of others, many are becoming interested in bitter gourd cultivation. 

More profit is available at lower cost. However, there is a risk, if the tree gets rotten. Then, there is a possibility of damage. However, it does not cost much to cultivate other crops in the land of bitter gourd cultivation. Farmers see the benefits of that crop.

Farid Uddin, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer of Bogura DAE, said bitter gourds are produced in the two seasons of Rabi and Kharip of the year. Depending on the region, the farmer gets 50 to 60 tons of bitter gourd in the land. When bitter gourds are harvested, farmers produce potatoes on this land at low cost. 

Then they do not have to give more fertilizer to the land. Farmers also benefit from potato cultivation. The target for corolla cultivation has been set at 534 hectares in Rabi season and 556 hectares in Kharip season. From which 20,000 metric tons of bitter gourd will be produced throughout the year, he added.

Bogura Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Md. Mahfuz Alam said that the cultivation of bitter gourd is increasing day by day. Conscious farmers are benefiting from bitter gourd cultivation. Consumers have also changed their diet, it is an antioxidant rich food, it boosts immunity so everyone is putting bitter gourd on their daily food list. 

Due to this the demand in the market has also increased. The agriculture department is by the side of the farmers to increase the cultivation of this vegetable. The Department of Agriculture is always advising the farmers to get good varieties of seeds and good yields.

Dulal Hossain, Deputy Director, Department of Agricultural Extension, Bogura, said that Bogura is famous for its vegetable plantations. Vegetables are cultivated here all the year round. However, during the monsoon season, the cultivation of vegetables is a bit less so the price of vegetables is a bit higher, so the farmers get better prices from the vegetables grown at this time.