Hossainpur (Kishoreganj) Correspondent :
The bumper production of Khira, species of cucumber in Hossainpur Upazila of Kishoreganj has brought a smile on the face of cucumber farmers. Due to favorable weather in the country, farmers are getting bumper yield and unexpectedly good price by cultivating cucumber. There is a huge demand for cucumber as a prayer in food and wedding food. Therefore, Khira is being sold at a wholesale price of 800 to 1000 rupees per ounce, which is three times more than the production cost. Every year new farmers are becoming interested in cultivating cucumber as it is more profitable at low cost in a short period of time.
According to the Agriculture Office of the upazila, khira has been cultivated in about 6 hectares of land this year. Farmers in the fields of the upazila are now busy tending the khira lands. Everyone in the family, young and old, is busy tending the endless cucumber fields, while others are busy harvesting cucumbers. Field after field has been cultivated in Pitalganj, Saheb’s Char, Charkati Hari, Char Bishwanathpur fields of Hossainpur upazila. The farmer’s field is full of green cucumber trees. In the meantime, khira has started to appear in different hat bazaars of the upazila. The price is also quite good.
Traders are making profit by buying khira brought by farmers in different bazars of the upazila and selling it in different areas including Dhaka and Chattogram by truck. Thousands of farmers are now self-sufficient by cultivating cucumber as an early winter crop.
He went to Khira field near Pitalganj Bazar of Surajmin Upazila and talked to Khira farmer Ratan Mia. He said that they are inclined to cultivate cucumber as it is more profitable than other crops. It cost him Rs 5,000 to cultivate cucumber on 60 acres of land. In the meantime, in 20 days, he has sold khira worth about Tk 60 thousand. About Tk35 to 40 can be earn from the field.
Upazila Agriculture Officer, agriculturist Imrul Kayes said that khira is a very profitable crop at low cost. Eating cucumber is less susceptible to diseases. We are encouraging the farmers to cultivate cucumber with various advices and cooperation.
