The chars of Bhola have had a bumper watermelon harvest this year, but farmers are struggling to sell it. Watermelons bought from growers for at most Tk 60-180 change hands and sell in retail markets for Tk 200-550.

Farmers allege that commission agents (aratdars) and wholesale buyers in the wholesale markets of Bhola, Barishal and Dhaka form a syndicate to buy from them at low prices. When they take watermelons to the arat, the aratdars first fix the price and call the auction. The retailer who bids highest buys, and then sells at whatever price he likes. In this chain the farmer gains least: after transport costs, his profit is Tk 25-35 per watermelon.

Farmers told this correspondent in the field that good soil and weather this season have brought a large yield across Bhola's chars. Working in groups, they are cutting watermelons from their fields and taking them by truck and trawler to wholesale markets and arats in Bhola, Barishal and Dhaka.

Md Harun and Md Rafijal, farmers of Char Chatkimara in Bheduria union of Bhola Sadar upazila, said good soil and weather had given them a large yield this season, with watermelons from 5 kg up to 14 kg in their fields. But they are struggling to sell in the wholesale markets. Because of the syndicate of aratdars and wholesalers they are not getting a fair price, and so are forced to sell cheaply.

Md Jasim and Md Shahabuddin, farmers of Rabeyar Char near the Baghmara bridge in Bhelumia union of Bhola Sadar upazila, said they are held hostage by the syndicate in the wholesale markets. The aratdars and wholesale buyers buy 100 watermelons of 8-12 kg for at most Tk 18,000, 100 of 5-7 kg for at most Tk 13,000, and 100 of 3-4 kg for at most Tk 5,000-7,000. After transport costs, the price per watermelon comes to only Tk 25-35.

They added that if they hire a truck or trawler and cannot sell in the Bhola, Barishal or Dhaka markets, they have to pay double the fare. So they are forced to sell even though they know about the syndicate. They say that without the syndicate farmers would profit and watermelon cultivation would expand further.

Md Abdul Bashar Kamrul, a wholesale aratdar in Bhola, said that when farmers bring watermelons to him he holds an open auction in front of the wholesale traders, and whoever bids highest buys them. There is no syndicate in the Bhola market, he said, though aratdars receive a 10 per cent commission on total sales.

Asked who sets the opening price at the auction, he said the aratdar through whom the farmer sells sets the first price and opens the bidding, and whoever then bids highest can buy.

Asked why they set the price of farmers' watermelons, he said they give farmers advances (dadon) to grow watermelons, so farmers sell through them. He said he did not know about Barishal and Dhaka.

Md Ibrahim and Taher, retail watermelon sellers in the Khalpar area of Bhola town, said they take part in auctions at the wholesale market beside the kitchen market and buy watermelons by the hundred, then sell them by the piece. They too struggle to sell. A watermelon bought wholesale for Tk 150-200 has to be sold for up to Tk 300-400 at retail, and heavier ones for more. If they do not sell at a higher price nothing is left for them, and unsold watermelons rot, leaving them with losses.

Nur Hossain, assistant director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Bhola, said they are working constantly so that farmers get a fair price and watermelon prices do not rise too high in the arats and the wholesale and retail markets. Action will be taken against anyone selling at excessive prices, he said.

Md Khairul Islam, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Bhola, said watermelons have been grown on 13,610 hectares across Bhola's seven upazilas this season. Favourable weather has brought a large yield, and farmers will be given all kinds of support to expand watermelon cultivation in Bhola further.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.