Rain or shine, watermelons all the time

The scorching summer sun and the cooling, juicy watermelons have been each other's companion for time immemorial. But now, Patuakhali based forty-five-year-old farmer Jahangir Faraji is bending the rules a little bit.

Hailing from Patuakhali's Galachipa upazila, Jahangir Faraji, is cultivating the quintessential summer fruit even during the rains.

Jahangir, from the village of Gramardan, started cultivating watermelons on 20 decimals of land around mid-July with an initial expenditure of Tk 25,000. In the first phase of his harvest, he managed to sell 900 pieces of watermelons, and hopes to earn Tk 3 lakh in the process.

Even though he has had 20 years of experience in the field of agriculture, this is first time he has cultivated watermelons.

During summer, it takes about Tk one lakh to irrigate and maintain the 20 decimals of land. But during the rains, the cost of labour also decreases and irrigation is not needed, bringing the cost down to just Tk 25,000, said Jahangir.

There is also quite a high demand for the fruits in Dhaka driving up profits for the farmers who choose to cultivate during the rains. Galachipa upazila Agriculture Officer M Saifullah said that two farmers in the area are cultivating watermelon in the rainy season.

"Both have had good yields. I expect the number of watermelon farmers to increase in the rainy season next year," he said.

"Watermelon can be cultivated round the year. It costs a little more in the first year to cultivate watermelon on a 'macha'. The next year it costs less and profit is good," he added.