SYLHET, Feb 22 (UNB): A sea of lush green vines sprawls across the fields of Jaintapur, each cradling vibrant watermelons that glisten under the late winter sun.
This year, the farmers of this upazila in Sylhet have reaped a bumper harvest, with their produce not only flooding local markets but also making its way to wholesale hubs in Dhaka, Cumilla and Chattogram.
The Sarighat South Bazar area along the Sylhet-Tamabil highway is a sight to behold, where vendors line both sides of the road, their stalls brimming with the summer fruit.
Trucks and covered-vans constantly load fresh watermelons, carrying them to eager buyers across the country.
Meanwhile, tourists and picnickers pause along the highway, drawn by the sweet scent of freshly harvested melons, picking up a few to savour.
Jaintapur has seen a transformation in its agricultural landscape in recent years.
Farmers, who once left vast tracts of land uncultivated, are now successfully growing watermelons on these very plots. What started as an experiment on just 20 hectares of fallow land has now expanded to an additional five hectares this season.
According to the Jaintapur office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), watermelons have been cultivated on 130 hectares of land across six unions.
The upazila set a production target of 3,770 metric tonnes, a goal that has nearly been met.
"This season, 650 farmers have cultivated watermelons, and 110 of them have received demonstration plots with government support," a
DAE official said.
Through this initiative, farmers were provided with high-quality seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides under the agricultural support programme.
