Alongside rice, wheat, maize and mustard, khira (a cucumber) has been grown on a large scale in Chalan Beel in Sirajganj, and farmers are delighted with a bumper yield. Good prices mean they are also making a profit.

Chalan Beel khira is in demand across the country, but this year demand is highest in Dhaka. About 50 tonnes go to wholesale markets in Dhaka every day. With the good harvest, around 15 seasonal khira markets have sprung up this year.

Field after field has been planted with khira in Kohit, Sarabari, Talam Satpara, Sachandighi, Sanduria, Khosalpur, Baruhas, Namo Silat, Dighuria, Baro Paota, Diarpara, Khaspara, Tentulia, Khirpota and Bargram villages of Tarash upazila in Sirajganj. Seasonal traders have set up wholesale depots in the Dighoria area to sell the crop.

Every morning farmers from different villages start bringing khira to the depots, where wholesale buyers from Sirajganj and other districts come to buy. Hundreds of metric tonnes change hands every day. Loading of trucks begins after midday, and the khira is carried to Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chattogram and other parts of the country. This year about 50 tonnes a day from these depots go to Dhaka alone.

Azmal Fakir, a khira farmer of Diarpara village, said: "Last season I grew khira on 6 bighas. Because of bad weather I did not make much profit. This time I planted 10 bighas. The yield is bumper and I am getting a very good price."

Achher Uddin, a farmer of Baruhas village, said he had grown khira on 4 bighas at a cost of Tk 55,000-60,000. "I am getting a good price this time. If the weather stays favourable to the end, I will make a profit of Tk 50,000-60,000 after costs," he said.

Akkas Ali, a farmer of Dighoria village, said he grows rice every year but this time also planted khira on two and a half bighas. The yield has been 100-120 maunds a bigha, and a sack of khira is selling for Tk 1,200-1,300. If prices hold, he expects a profit of about Tk 40,000 from the two and a half bighas.

Wholesaler Fazlul Karim said twice as much khira is arriving this year as last year. The depot fills up from dawn to midday. Demand has risen and prices are good: a sack sold for Tk 1,000-1,100 last year but is fetching Tk 1,200-1,300 this year.

He said buyers come from Sirajganj and other districts and begin loading trucks after midday, but this year demand is highest in Dhaka.

Sohrab Ali, a wholesale buyer from Dhaka, said khira had not been this expensive in the past three years. "There is plenty on the market, but the price has not fallen. Still, I have bought a truckload. I will take it to Dhaka; I don't know whether I will make a profit or a loss."

Tarash Upazila Agriculture Officer Lutfunnahan Luna, an agriculturist, said the upazila's cropland is suitable for khira, and the agriculture office has been constantly encouraging and advising farmers to grow it.

She said khira has been grown on 427 hectares in the upazila this season, 75 hectares more than last year's target.

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