Good prices for cucumber (khira) have brought smiles to farmers in Sirajganj. Several hundred tonnes of cucumber change hands at the wholesale depots every day. Grown in Tarash and Ullapara in the Chalan Beel area, the cucumbers meet local demand and are bought daily at the depots by wholesalers from Dhaka, Chattogram, Bogura, Sylhet and other parts of the country.

According to the Sirajganj agricultural extension office, cucumber has been grown on 666 hectares in the district this year, 439 hectares of them in Tarash upazila. With good weather this year, seasonal cucumber markets have been set up at 15 places.

Fazar Ali, a marginal farmer in Dighoria village of Tarash upazila, told Jago News: "Last year I grew cucumber on half a bigha. This year I have grown it on 25 decimals. I am getting good yields and prices."

Akkas Ali, a farmer in Ullapara upazila, said: "Every year I grow rice and mustard, but this year I have grown cucumber on two and a half bighas. Each bigha will produce more than a hundred maunds. These cucumbers are selling in the local market at Tk 900 to Tk 1,200."

Fazlul Karim, a wholesaler at the Charbarddhangachha cucumber market in Lahiri Mohanpur union of Ullapara upazila, told Jago News: "Cucumber production has doubled this time. With demand as well, farmers are getting good prices."

Babul Kumar Sutradhar, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Sirajganj, told Jago News: "This year cucumber has been grown on 75 hectares more than last year's target. With favourable weather this season, farmers are getting good yields and prices."

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