Bottle gourd growers on the chars surrounded by Kurigram's 16 rivers have seen good times return. Fears over yields that arose among growers a few days ago because of bad weather have now passed, and with good prices and good weather, farmers are hoping to profit this year.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Kurigram, about 4,000 hectares of the district are under various vegetables this year, of which bottle gourd alone covers about 250 hectares.

It takes three to four months from sowing gourd seed to harvest. Growing gourd on one bigha costs about Tk 20,000-25,000, and with a good yield the gourds from a bigha can sell for Tk 60,000-70,000. At present 100 gourds are selling for Tk 3,000 in the market. Growers say that if prices hold they will do well this season.

Moslem Uddin, a gourd grower in the Panga Mirer Bari area of Chhinai union in Rajarhat upazila, said: "I have grown gourd on 30 decimals. The yield has been very good. For the past two weeks I have sold 100 gourds for Tk 4,000. I hope to earn well from gourds this year."

Farmer Saidul Islam said: "Because fertiliser and pesticide prices suddenly rose, I was almost in trouble growing vegetables this year. But with the gourd market good, that fear has gone. I hope to make a profit."

Saidul Islam, a gourd grower in Palashbari village of Holokhana union, said: "I have grown gourd on 3 bigha of my land. The yield has been good, and I started selling two weeks ago. If the weather stays good, I hope to sell gourds from this land for three months in a row."

Biplab Kumar Mohanta, deputy director (acting) of the DAE in Kurigram, said: "Gourd is being grown on about 250 hectares in the district. It is also grown here and there around homesteads and on fallow and abandoned land. Growers are getting good prices for gourd this year, and I hope farmers will profit."

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