Borhanuddin (Bhola) Correspondent :
The bumper watermelon production has opened up new horizons for the agricultural economy in various chars of the Tetulia River in Bhola’s Borhanuddin Upazila as it has broken yield records of last three years. So, farmers are seeing prosperity. Farmers are smiling as the production is good and they get good prices in Ramadan. Short In time (80-120 days) no other crop makes so much profit. Therefore, the number of farmers in watermelon cultivation is increasing day by day. On the other hand, Bhola’s watermelon is large in size as well as nutritional value due to its soil quality. The taste is also comparable more.
According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, 80 percent of the total production of the upazila is on the char of the Tetulia river in Gangapur Union.
Last year, the target was to cultivate watermelon in 130 hectares of land in the upazila. Exceeding that target, watermelon has been cultivated in 340 hectares of land almost three years. The target level for planting this crop this year is 560 hectares. The production target has been set at 40 metric tons per hectare. However, farmers say watermelon has exceeded the target in more than 600 hectares of land. This is the highest yield in the last ten years. Its weight is 24 thousand metric tons. The wholesale selling price is about 5 crore taka.
The scope of watermelon cultivation will increase day by day with the training of farmers, government patronage, overall supervision of agriculture office and incentives of small farmers. As a result, the agricultural economy of Bhola seems to get a new dimension. On the ground, the isolated char of Tetulia river belonging to Gangapur union can be seen by visiting Sharifabad char Watermelon fields on hundreds of acres of land. Watermelon farmer on that char Sumon Hawladar said he has cultivated Dragon variety watermelon for the first time on 30 acres of land. The cost per acre has been 95 thousand taka. Sales per acre has come down to 1 lakh 40 thousand taka. Tajal Shahabuddin, farmer of the same char said he has cultivated dragon variety watermelon on 40 acres of land.The cost per acre has been 90 thousand taka. 1 lakh 45 thousand taka per acre has been sold.
“I have cultivated Dragon variety watermelon on 12 acres of land,” said Liton Member, a farmer in Char Latif. 15 lakh has been sold. He blames seed adulteration for low yields.
A part from this variety, farmers have planted more or less Sweet Hani, Red Dragon and Bari-1 varieties of watermelon. Besides, watermelon is widely cultivated in Char Raishyam, Patar Char and Kalagachhia.
At that time, the farmers expressed their displeasure and said that no one from the agriculture office had come to their area in the last three years. No response was received from them even after contacting them.
They also said that providing them with a honey box when the watermelon tree blooms would have improved the yield as well as reduced the cost of natural pollination. Now the female flowers are pollinated with male flowers in hand.
Besides, getting irrigation pumps and power trailers at government subsidized prices saves a lot of money.
According to the farmers, watermelons were first taken to Barisal by trawler. Then Comilla, Sylhet. Wholesalers were delivered to Kumarkandi, Kathpatti, Narayanganj areas.
When asked why the price of watermelon is higher in the local market, the farmers said, “We sell a watermelon weighing 10-11 kg at a wholesale price of Tk 180.” With this, it costs 15 taka more to reach the warehouse. If the storekeeper earns 20 taka per pitch, the retail price should not be more than 230 taka. But he sells that watermelon for 350-400 taka. Now we see retailers making more profit than us. Consumers can get such fruits at much lower prices if the administration allows them to sell seasonal fruits.
Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer, Gangapur Block, when asked not to be on the side of the farmers Ziaur Rahman said that he got the responsibility of that block 6-7 months ago. He did not go to Char. However he will go in future. ABM Aziullah, Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer, Jaya Block, Gangapur, avoided asking the same question.
Upazila Agriculture Officer (additional charge) Omar Faruq said appropriate action would be taken against the two deputy assistant officers for negligence in duty. He also said only two sets of bee-sets were got in the whole upazila in the rabi season. He has raised the issue of demand with the higher authorities about the bee box. Regarding trailers and irrigation equipment, he said, “Irrigation machines are no longer officially subsidized.” Farmers will benefit if they are given through any project. Farmers will benefit if they are given through any project. But it can be given if farmer apply for a combine harvester machine. He added that despite the bumper crop in the last two seasons due to the global epidemic corona virus, farmers were still in trouble. Now the farmers are dependent. The agriculture office is always by the side of the farmers.
