Omar Faruk, a farmer from Sachail village in Kishoreganj's Tarail upazila, began growing sweet pumpkin alongside rice on his haor land, and it paid off. For several years it has covered his costs and turned a profit, so he has stopped growing rice in the haor and turned to pumpkin.

He grew pumpkin again this year, and the yield is good. Within three months of planting he has sold about Tk 10 lakh worth of pumpkins, and he expects what remains in the field to fetch another Tk 8 to 10 lakh. Seeing his success, many unemployed young people are turning to farming, and he has become an inspiration to educated jobless youth in the area.

He took a Tk 5 lakh loan from Bank Asia this year and grew pumpkin on 11 acres. The harvest is a bumper one, with some pumpkins weighing 15-20 kg. Wholesalers and commission agents come to the field every day to buy. Besides selling, he is giving pumpkins to neighbours and relatives. He said local agriculture officials visit his land regularly and give advice.

"I grew sweet pumpkin on 11 acres with a loan from Bank Asia," Omar Faruk said. "It cost me about Tk 7 lakh. I have been growing pumpkin on this land for several years and harvest every 15-20 days. Pumpkin farming has made me self-reliant. If other banks stood by farmers with loans like Bank Asia, farmers could become self-reliant."

Farm labourer Samir Hossain said: "Several labourers work in uncle's pumpkin field every day. Our families live on what we earn here."

Sarowar Alam, former chairman of Dighdhair union parishad, said: "It is not only Omar Faruk who has gained from pumpkin farming. It has created work for many labourers. Omar Faruk is a creative, innovative farmer who has grown pumpkin for several years. This year he has a bumper crop, and I hope he makes a good profit."

Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, first assistant vice president and head of Bank Asia's Tarail branch, said: "The bank gives farmers loans at low interest. Farmer Omar Faruk took a Tk 5 lakh loan and has done brilliantly with pumpkin. This support for farmers will continue."

Agriculturist Abdus Sattar, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Kishoreganj, said: "Pumpkin has been grown on 920 hectares in the district this year. A hectare yields 6 tonnes of rice but 30-35 tonnes of pumpkin. Rice in the haor is at risk: an early flood or hailstorm can destroy it. Pumpkin faces no such risk."

He said: "The market price of pumpkin is very good. Wholesalers are coming to the fields to buy. Farmers are gaining a lot from pumpkin. We are advising farmers to grow cash crops instead of rice so they can do better financially. We at the agriculture department are standing by farmers with advice. Next year pumpkin will be grown on 1,500 hectares in the district."

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