A farmer in Narayanganj's Sonargaon upazila is growing off-season watermelons of several colours on trellises built over the empty ground beside his pond, Krishi Shomoy's Sonargaon correspondent reports. Ramzan Ali of Gourabardi village farms watermelon and fish on seven bighas and has drawn wide local attention.

He is currently growing the Kalachan and Tripti varieties on trellises across the seven bighas. The vines carry black and yellow fruit of many sizes, hanging above the ground rather than lying on it. Fish are raised in the pond, and bitter gourd, bottle gourd and other vegetables grow on its banks.

Ramzan Ali grew up in a farming family and, after passing his BSS, chose farming over a conventional job. He began cultivating in 2009 and adopted mulching in 2014, starting with tomato and snake gourd before adding local and imported varieties of vegetables and fruit. He continues to experiment with improved seed and new methods.

He told the paper that this season's watermelon crop cost him about Tk 1 lakh and that, if yield and prices hold, he expects a profit of about Tk 4 lakh once sales are complete. His produce goes to the markets and wholesale yards at Jatrabari and Gausia in Dhaka. Modern methods now give him an average income of about Tk 50,000 a month, he said.

Planned farming can be a promising line of work for young people instead of a job or migration abroad, he added, saying he is satisfied with his choice.

Sonargaon upazila agriculture officer Abu Sayeed Tareq said the entry of educated young people such as Ramzan Ali into modern farming is a positive example for local agriculture, and that the Department of Agricultural Extension is supporting him with advice and with fertiliser, seed and pesticide.

Reporting: Sonargaon correspondent, Krishi Shomoy.

Source: Krishi Shomoy