Bumper sweet pumpkin yield in Manikganj

There has been bumper production of sweet pumpkin in the district this year due to favourable weather.

District Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Deputy Director Habibur Rahman Chowdhury said the highest farming of the sweet pumpkin was in Ghior, Sadar, Saturia and Singair of the district, out of seven upazilas. More than 5,000 farmers cultivated the vegetable on 890 hectares of land this year, he added.

This correspondent while visiting different areas of Baliakhora union in Ghior upazila on Saturday found extensive cultivation of sweet pumpkin. The farmers are interested in cultivating the vegetable as they get good profit at low production cost.

They said the cost of cultivating sweet pumpkin on 30 decimals of land is about Tk 8,000 and they get about 1,000 pumpkins. Wholesale price is Tk 20 to Tk 25 per pumpkin and retail price is about Tk 40 to Tk 50 a pumpkin, depending on size.

Abdur Rahim of Baliakhora said he has been cultivating sweet pumpkin for the last 18 years, adding that he cultivated the vegetable on 2,460 decimals of land this year.

Retail sale of so many pumpkins is not possible at local market, so he sells them at the field to the wholesale buyers, he said.

Amzad Hossain said it is profitable to cultivate sweet pumpkins as it needs little effort and production cost is low. Besides, the vegetables are also sold to wholesalers at the field before they ripen, he said.

Farmers of the area are keen in sweet pumpkin cultivation as the seeds can be cultivated along with other crops, he added.

Wholesale buyer Abu Raihan said the sweet pumpkin of Manikganj has great demand in the capital's Karwan Bazar, Jatrabari, Baipail markets. Besides, communication between the district and these areas is also very good. Like every year, he has purchased sweet pumpkin from the district, he added.

Another wholesale buyer Aslam Mia said he cannot store the pumpkin due to excessive rain. Transportation costs have gone up and the wholesale buyers are uncertain whether they will be able to make a profit this year, he added.