Farmers make profit growing watermelon on unused lands of fish enclosures in Khulna

KHULNA, Oct 16 (UNB): Ahad Ali Sheikh of Dumuria is actually a shrimp farmer by profession. Farming shrimp on 2.5 acres of land taken on lease in Nolghona Beel, he somehow managed to earn his livelihood.

His fortunes have, however, changed dramatically after he planted watermelon seeds along the aisle of the fish enclosure this year during monsoon -- off season. He sold watermelon worth Tk 0.1 million this year.

Ahad Ali is not alone. There are many in the upazila who have made profit by growing watermelon on their unused lands of fish enclosures.

Shawkat Dhali who lives in the same village sold watermelons worth Tk 0.2 million. Samad Dhali and some others in the village also saw successes by growing watermelons in their fish enclosures.

Yunus Fakir of Andulia, Mrittujoy of Choto Bondo and Alimuzzaman of Golna all planted watermelon on a one-acre aisle. Mizanur Rahman Sheikh of Kulbariya sold watermelon worth Tk 0.5 million from a two-acre of land.

According to Md Mosaddek Hossain, agriculture officer of Dumuria upazila, watermelon is a very good cash-crop and a farmer may get double the usual price if it is grown in an off-season.

Watermelons grown in fish enclosure manchas are hardly affected by insects. Since Golda shrimps are cultivated in these enclosures, one has to be careful about applying pesticides and the use of pesticides comes down during monsoon.

"A lot of irrigation is needed to grow seasonal watermelon but when you grow watermelon in the monsoon, you don't need that much of irrigation," Mosaddek described.

The lifespan of a watermelon is 65-70 days. With less time and investment, watermelon farming during monsoon is a highly profitable crop, he said.