Nazmul Alam of Dhum union in Mirsarai upazila, Chattogram, grew watermelon for the first time this year. He spent Tk 2 lakh 40 thousand on one and a half acres, but the plants were infected by a virus and all of them died. Far from making a profit, he could not recover a single taka of his investment. He is not alone: many growers in different unions of the upazila have made losses on watermelon. Despite heavy investment, virus attacks, low yields, falling market prices and heavy rain have pushed farmers into losses of around Tk 1 crore.

According to the upazila agriculture office, watermelon was grown on about 750 hectares in the upazila this season. The varieties grown most were Glory Jambu, Bengal King, Dragon King and Green Dragon, in Hinguli, Dhum, Ochmanpur, Ichhakhali, Durgapur, Mithanala, Maghadia, Mayani, Saherkhali and other unions. Many farmers from Subarnachar upazila in Noakhali district grew watermelon here, and many local farmers followed their example and took it up for the first time.

Md Shahadat Hossain, a grower in Katachhara union, told Jagonews: "This time five of us together grew watermelon on 10 acres. It cost Tk 18 lakh. Of that we have sold Tk 3 lakh 50 thousand worth. We have had to take a loss of about Tk 14 lakh 50 thousand."

"We grew watermelon for the first time with great hope, on borrowed money," he said. "Because the plants were infected with a virus, the yield was very low, and what did grow was ruined by rain. Never mind profit; if we could have recovered even the minimum investment. I can't see how I will repay so much debt."

Farmers said each shareholder invested from Tk 5 lakh up to Tk 50 lakh, most of it borrowed from banks, NGOs and relatives. But virus-infected plants, low yields, falling prices and an inability to market the fruit properly because of higher fuel prices have left them with losses.

Nazmul Alam of Dhum union said: "I took a big loss growing watermelon on one and a half acres at a cost of Tk 2 lakh 40 thousand. I could not sell a single watermelon. Because the plants were infected with a virus and the weather was bad, hot in the day and foggy at night, there was no yield at all. Yet every year this land gave good harvests of felon and mustard. Many growers like me have made losses."

Those concerned say that unless market management is improved quickly, transport facilities are increased and support for farmers is ensured, the sector could face a major setback, and farmers will lose interest in growing watermelon in future.

Pratap Chandra Roy, Mirsarai upazila agriculture officer, told Jagonews: "Far more watermelon was grown in Mirsarai than in other years. Farmers from Subarnachar in Noakhali came here, leased land and grew watermelon, and many local farmers grew it too. Virus infection in the fields and waterlogging from heavy rain caused major losses for watermelon growers. In areas where the watermelons had matured, selling them quickly could have reduced the losses somewhat."

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