Faridpur pumpkin farmers all smiles

Pumpkin farmers of Faridpur are elated as they are getting good profit by selling their produces this year.

Vegetable traders from different districts including Dhaka, Chattogram, Chandpur and Barishal are purchasing pumpkins from different areas of Faridpur at fair prices.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Faridpur, pumpkins have been cultivated on a total of 215 hectares of land in six upazilas of the district this year compared to 212 hectares last year. Due to the easy cultivation process and less production cost, pumpkin cultivation is gaining popularity among farmers.

Sushanta Kumar Mandal, 60, a farmer of Charloujana village under Madhukhali upazila, said, "I have cultivated pumpkin on my 1.20 acres of land this year spending Tk 6,000. I have already sold 150 pumpkins, weighing 750 kg, at Tk 8 per kg compared to Tk 6 last year. I am hoping to sell 500 more this year."

Md Ilias Khan, 35, another farmer of Ashapur village under the same upazila, said that he has cultivated pumpkins on 60 decimals of land spending Tk 6,000.

"I have already sold 300 pumpkins weighing 1500 kg, at Tk 10 per kg a week ago. I will be able to sell more pumpkins worth Tk 10,000 this year," he added.

Another pumpkin farmer of the same area Md Zahid Sheikh said, "We are happy selling pumpkins this year as we are getting better prices than last year. I have cultivated two acres of land this year spending Tk 10,000. I have already sold pumpkins worth Tk 30,000. I hope I will get Tk 60,000 more from my land."

Rafiqul Islam, 40, a vegetable trader from Madhukhali bazar area, said "The pumpkins of our area have a special demand at different markets in Dhaka, Chattogram, Chandpur and Barishal. We are also getting good profit by selling pumpkins."

Hazrat Ali, deputy director of Faridpur DAE, said, "The pumpkin farmers have got desired production of pumpkin due to good quality seeds and favourable weather this year and they are happy to have got expected price."