Shawdesh desk:

Watermelon cultivation has started in the remote char area of the River Brahmaputra in Kurigram.

Although watermelon cultivation started on an experimental basis last year, the number of farmers signing up to this time. The yield has also been as expected. Farmers are hoping for double the profit if there is no flood in advance this year.

However, if the government comes forward in marketing and banks provide loans with easy instalments, the misery of the people of the char area can be erased, or at least eased.

According to the Kurigram Department of Agricultural Extension, there are about 450 chars in 16 rivers in the district. There are about 45,000 hectares of cultivable land. Of these, farmers are starting cultivation on 35,000 hectares of land in 368 chars. Maize, watermelon, sweet pumpkin, cucumber and pepper have been cultivated in these char areas.

Last year, watermelon was cultivated on 50 acres of land in village Char Bagua of Hatia union of Ulipur upazila of the district. In the early floods, 40 acres of crops were submerged and damaged. Yet the farmers did not stop. This year watermelon has been cultivated on 34 hectares of land in the char.

Farmers have also started harvesting watermelons. Due to favorable weather conditions, the yield has also been as expected. As a result, they are hoping to make a good profit this time after overcoming last year’s loss. However, the biggest obstacle to commercial cultivation in the char is marketing management. Besides, many farmers have left the land after being unable to cultivate these crops despite the desire, the banks not providing loans to the common farmers.

Dashim Uddin of Bagua Char said three enterprising farmers have cultivated watermelon on 40 acres of land in this char. As a result of getting a large amount of loan from the bank, they have got the opportunity to cultivate on a large scale. Many farmers here have become interested in their farming, but they are not able to come forward due to economic reasons.

Abdur Sabur, who cultivated watermelon, said, ‘Although watermelon was cultivated on an experimental basis last year, the watermelon field was washed away in the early floods. This year, I have cultivated watermelon on 14 acres of land. It cost me Tk 6-7 lakh. I hope to pick up 20,000 watermelons. This will earn me an additional income of Tk 6-7 lakh. However, the problem here is marketing watermelon. Wholesalers come here and buy watermelons at a lower price. If we could take melons to the city and sell, we would have made more profits. More farmers would have come forward to cultivate watermelon.’

The farmer also said watermelon seeds should be sown at the beginning of the month of Paush. After four months, watermelon can be lifted in the middle of the month of Chaitra. There are some precautions to be taken in watermelon cultivation. In the sand land, a hole of one and a half feet in the 10-inch by 10-inch square has to be given some loamy soil, dung fertiliser and DSP in the pit. Forty grams should be given in each pit. In this way, after keeping it for a week, three seeds are sown in a pit. In addition, regularly insecticides have to be sprayed to protect against the attack of insects and rats.

Abul Hossain Master, former chairman of Hatia Union, said at present, local entrepreneurs in the char area have become interested in cultivating various agricultural products. Due to economic problems, the rest of the farmers are unable to come forward. ‘Their misery would go away if banks and NGOs come forward.’

Additional deputy director of Kurigram DAE, Md Azizul Islam, said watermelon cultivation has started in the district since last year. Watermelon has been cultivated on 22,000 hectares of land this year. There is a plan to set up a collection center in the char areas so that the farmers do not suffer for marketing.