Three farmers in Domabari village, Goalbari union, Juri upazila of Moulvibazar have grown year-round watermelon on trellises for the first time on the flat land between the tea hills. Khurshed Alam, Sirajul Islam and Saidul Islam took a good crop of the unusually coloured, high-demand fruit and expect to profit; their neighbours are now taking an interest.

Khurshed Alam said he first grew the variety for his own family under the Sylhet region agricultural development project, found it highly profitable and went commercial; by his reckoning three bighas can earn Tk 5 lakh in three months. Sirajul Islam grew the off-season crop on about 20 decimals with technical help from the upazila agriculture office and, despite some weather trouble, had a good yield and plans to expand. Saidul Islam said his initial doubts about the new method were settled by following the department's advice.

Villagers Abdur Rahim and Sain Uddin said work in the watermelon fields brings extra income alongside their other jobs, and that with strong demand and good prices for year-round watermelon many have followed Khurshed's lead.

Sub-assistant agriculture officer Roni Singh said trellis cultivation of year-round watermelon is new to the area and had succeeded through regular advice and field supervision. Juri's upazila agriculture officer Mahmudul Alam Khan said the method creates a new opportunity for good yields and higher profit from little land using improved technology, and the department will keep providing technical support.

From a Risingbd report by Abdul Aziz, Moulvibazar. Source: Risingbd