Farmers in Lalmonirhat are earning extra income by growing sweet pumpkin on fallow land along the banks of the Dharla river. The crop has done well, and farmers are pleased that it meets their families' needs. Each plant has set five to eight pumpkins. The agriculture office gave them the seed free of charge.
The seed was distributed free to farmers with the help of the Patgram upazila agriculture department. Each pumpkin plant bears 5 to 10 fruits. Farmers are happy to get a good crop from free seed at low cost, and are also making money by selling at market, where pumpkin is selling at Tk 30 to 35 a kg.
Pumpkin farming has brought new momentum to the area and is making an important contribution to farmers' livelihoods. Pumpkins grown in the district are being supplied to the capital and other parts of the country.
Farmers and officials
Pumpkin farmer Safiul Islam said: "If you sow pumpkin seed in the river mud following the agriculture department's advice, you get a bumper crop. The pumpkins will be harvested within a month or two. If we store them and sell in the monsoon, we will get an even better price."
The Lalmonirhat agriculture department says the district had set a target of 200 hectares of pumpkin for the rabi season this year. That was exceeded, with pumpkin grown on about 300 hectares.
The Patgram agriculture department says it will select fallow land along the riverbank in future and supply seed free to farmers there, with plans to farm on a larger scale.
Patgram upazila sub-assistant agriculture officer Shahinur Rahman said: "We advised the farmers and even gave them the seed free. Each plant has set 5 to 10 fruits, and each will weigh 5 to 7 kg. After meeting their families' needs, they can earn extra income by selling at market."
Patgram upazila agriculture officer Abdul Gaffar said: "Farmers are being encouraged to cultivate the upazila's fallow land. To that end, seed has been supplied free for pumpkin farming on the banks of the Dharla. It will be done on a larger scale in future. Seeing this success, many farmers will become interested in growing pumpkin."
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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