Watermelon on canopies around fishing ponds: a success story
Many farmers in Bagerhat's Sadar upazila are raking in good profits, sometimes up to 120 percent, by growing an off-season variety of watermelon on the banks of fishing ponds.
Under a project titled 'National Agricultural Technology Programme (NATP, Phase 2)', the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in the upazila is providing technical know-how and assistance to farmers in cultivating the watermelon variety named 'Black Horse'.
Taking advantage of easy access to irrigation water from fishing ponds, a farmer can make a profit between Tk 30 thousand and Tk 35 thousand out of an investment between Tk 25 thousand and Tk 30 thousand on one bigha of land.
Enticed by the prospect, a growing number of farmers are trying their luck on the 'Black Horse' in the district.
Currently, the 'Black Horse' is being cultivated on 10 acres of land in Bagerhat Sadar upazila alone, said Sadiya Sultana, agriculture officer in the upazila.
They have been providing all sorts of support to interested farmers as the variety is less prone to diseases, delicious and most importantly, profitable, she added.
Bibha Mandol, from Purbo Sayera village in Sadar upazila, is among the farmers who found success in cultivating 'Black Horse' watermelon on three and a half bighas of land around two fishing ponds.
She said her total expense on the garden was Tk 7 thousand as she was able to save some money that she would otherwise need to spend on mesh canopies, supported by bamboo, around the ponds. She already had the canopies set up on the banks of the ponds from one of her previous farming projects. Besides, she saved an additional amount by not engaging any paid labourer at the garden.
She succeeded in growing 350 plants of the 'Black Horse' variety and the plants started to bear fruits 45 to 60 days later. She so far sold nearly 70 maunds of the watermelon, which weighed between three and seven kilograms each. Each of the fruit is selling for about Tk 100 to Tk 280, depending on weight.
Since the profit margin on 'Black Horse' watermelon is higher than that of many vegetables such as cucumber or pumpkin, she is planning on planting more of the variety, she also said.
Another farmer, Joydeb Das, from the same village, spent Tk 25 thousand to grow the watermelon on nearly 33 decimals of land surrounding his fishing pond.
This is a more convenient way of looking after the fish farm, while at the same time, irrigating the watermelon garden with water from the pond, he added.
Farmer Nazmul Alam, who cultivated the variety on four bighas of land in the same village, said he would grow 'Black Horse' watermelon in a larger area next year as market response he received toward the variety has been quite positive.
After learning about the prospect of making higher profits, many farmers growing other crops are also expressing interest in cultivating 'Black Horse', he added.
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