Although sweet pumpkin is fetching relatively good prices in the market, growers in Manikganj district say falling output has left them facing losses. Farmers complain that because they did not get the yield they expected, even the higher prices cannot make up their losses. The district office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), however, says sweet pumpkin growers are doing well this year thanks to good yields and prices.

According to the DAE, sweet pumpkin is grown to some extent in all seven upazilas of Manikganj, most of all by farmers in Singair, Sadar and Ghior upazilas. Varieties grown in the district include Bengal 1, Bengal 2, Black Stone, Sweety, Kalyani, Rangila, Thailand 1, Thailand 2, Sweet Lady, Sweet Spot, Hajari, Supriya and Baromashi.

In the 2024-25 fiscal year the crop was grown on 737 hectares in the district, producing 21,286 tonnes. For 2025-26 the cultivation target was set at 737 hectares, and it was exceeded, with 809 hectares grown. The production target was 21,285 tonnes, and production this year exceeded it at 23,684 tonnes.

On the ground, yields are good in Singair upazila but growers in Ghior upazila are in a bad way this year. Having grown sweet pumpkin hoping for a profit, they are now trying just to recover their costs. Land that yielded 3 to 4 tonnes a bigha last year has produced 1 to 2 tonnes this year, half of last year's output. Diseases and pests have also struck, and pumpkins are rotting before they mature, adding to the farmers' losses.

Md Pappu Mia of Puraton Ghior in Ghior upazila told Jago News: "We grow sweet pumpkin on 5 bighas every year. Last year prices were low but the yield was very good, so we made some profit. This year the price of pumpkin is good, but there is hardly any yield. Land that gave 3 to 4 tonnes a bigha last year has given 1 to 2 tonnes a bigha this year."

Saifuddin Mia of the same area told Jago News: "This year cultivation cost Tk 30,000 a bigha, plus labour wages. With the yield we have got, we are worried whether we will even recover our costs. On top of that, the pumpkins are rotting before they ripen. We will lose a lot of money this year. We also suffered big losses growing potatoes."

Ismail Hossain told Jago News: "Farming is our main work. But this year we were caught out growing potatoes, and caught out again growing sweet pumpkin. I have grown sweet pumpkin for 14 years and this has never happened. The plants grew big but the pumpkin yield is low. This is the first time we have seen this."

Shahjahan Siraj, deputy director of the DAE in Manikganj, told Jago News: "Perhaps one or two farmers may have a lower crop. But taking the overall picture, farmers are profiting this year thanks to good yields and good prices."

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