Most seasonal vegetables need a gap of several days between pickings, but bottle gourd can be picked and sold every day. A report by Dinajpur TV's agriculture desk says that with good planning and modern methods, bottle gourd can become a regular source of income for rural households.
The key to higher profit is early or off-season planting. In the main season a gourd falls to Tk 5 to 10 at wholesale or retail, but grown early the same gourd sells for Tk 40 to 50. Tender shoots are often more profitable than the gourds themselves: four good shoots can fetch Tk 100, more than the price of a whole gourd.
Plants begin to bear 45 to 46 days after sowing. Mulch film keeps weeds from growing around the base and holds soil moisture for longer. Bottle gourd is a juicy crop full of water, so regular irrigation to keep the base cool is essential. Regular care and good watering do most to bring an early and lasting harvest.
No part of the plant is wasted. Leaves and shoots are cooked as greens and mashes, and the remaining vines can be cut for cattle feed. Grown as a companion crop in a papaya or other fruit orchard, bottle gourd brings extra income from the same land.
Meeting the family's needs, giving to relatives and earning regular cash at low cost have made bottle gourd farming a sustainable business, the report says.
Reporting: Agriculture desk, Dinajpur TV
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0); bottle gourd flower and leaves
Source: Dinajpur TV
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