Green bitter gourds hang from trellises. This is the everyday scene in Parer Tong village of Ashidron union, Sreemangal upazila, Moulvibazar. Every family here is involved in bitter gourd farming in one way or another, and for much of the year the soil, the people and nature all speak of bitter gourd.

People know the village as the "karola gram", the bitter gourd village. Most farmers grow the crop commercially. The hybrid variety Tia Super is ready within 40-45 days, and with little time and high yields everyone is making a profit.

Growing poison-free bitter gourd has changed farmers' fortunes. The produce goes to the capital and elsewhere; wholesale buyers come from across the country every day, and the gourds go to Dhaka, Chattogram, Cumilla and other big cities. Farmers are smiling, and many people have found work.

Bitter gourd farmer Wasim Mia said: "Growing Tia Super by the season has made us profits. The unemployed have found work, and the country's demand is being met. Every year I sell Tk 10-12 lakh of bitter gourd. We have gained a lot."

Farmer Belal Mia said: "I have been growing bitter gourd for about 10 years. Tia Super is a very good variety. You can make a profit growing it, with no losses. The crop is good and the gourds are heavy. I have sold some, and some are still to be sold."

Md Rahim Mia, a wholesale buyer from Bahubal in Habiganj, said: "I sell in Dhaka, Cumilla and other places. The yield is better this year than last, and market prices are good. Right now it's selling at a good price. I hope to sell another Tk 8-10 lakh of bitter gourd."

Tapas Chakraborty, divisional manager of Lal Teer Seed Limited, said: "The village is mainly agricultural. Farmers here have been growing Lal Teer's hybrid Tia and Tia Super for 10-12 years. The crop can be harvested within 40-45 days, so farmers are keen. Wholesale buyers come from far away, and various arotdars collect the gourds and take them to Dhaka and Chattogram."

Sreemangal upazila agriculture officer, agriculturist Md Mohammad Alauddin, said: "Bitter gourd has been grown on about 300 bigha in the upazila this year, and about Tk 2 crore to Tk 2.5 crore worth could be sold. Because it is profitable, production is increasing day by day."

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