Watermelon cultivators of Chuadanga district are very happy and satisfied because of bumper production and fair prices of the fruit in the local markets recently.
It is learnt that farmers have planted watermelon in the Bangla month of Falgun as they began to harvest in the month of Choitro. Weather and climate are in favour of cultivation of watermelon in this season.
According to the sources from Agriculture Extension Department of Chuadanga, around 3907 bighas of land has been taken under watermelon cultivation in four upazilas of the district.
The upazila wise break up is: 3078 bighas in sadar upazila, 573 bighas in Damurhuda upazila, 218 bighas in Jibannagar upazila and 38 bighas in Alamdanga upazila.
According to Agriculture Officer Talha Jubayer Mashru Newton, 3,12, 560 maund of watermelon is expected by cultivating 3907 bighas of land in the district.
Around 2,46,240 maunds of watermelon is expected to produce in sadar upazila, 45,840 maunds in Damurhuda upazila, 17,440 maunds in Jibannagar upazila and 3,040 maunds in Alamdangaupazila. It is learnt that watermelon is being sold at tk. 1200 per maund in the district. Accordingly the farmers will get tk. 37,50,72,000 by selling 3,12,560maud of watermelon in this season.
Haris Mia, a cultivator of watermelon at village Dinnathpur in sadar upazila said, watermelon is fit for cultivation on the loamy soil. He cultivated watermelon on 2 bighas of land.
In the meantime he sold it at tk. 30,000 and would sell gradually next days. Abdul Kader of village Garabaria in sadar upazila of the district said that the expenditure of production is estimated at tk. 1,00,000 per bigha as well as the produced watermelon from the land will be sold at tk. 2,00,000 this year.