NAOGAON, July 17: Farmers in the district have achieved a good yield of Black Queen watermelon from an experimental cultivation.
Moreover, the fruit cultivation has brought smile on the faces of the farmers due to fair price.
They said market demand for the new variety is increasing for its colour, shape and taste.
According to the officials at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Black Queen watermelon production is profitable. It can be grown round the year.
It requires less irrigation. Peasants will be benefited if they grow the fruit on commercial basis.
A farmer in Comaigari area under Naogaon Sadar said he cultivated the watermelon on two bighas of land and his production cost was Tk 45,000.
He has brought the seeds of the fruit from India with the help of a local agro company.
"I have started harvesting the fruits from the last week", he added.
Each kg of hybrid Black Queen watermelon is selling at Tk 40 to Tk 60 in the retail markets and Tk 40 to Tk 45 in the wholesale markets.
The farmers need to spend around Tk 20,000 to Tk 22,000 to grow the fruit on a bigha of land.
Some DAE officials said if a farmer grows the fruits on a bigha of land, he would be able to make a profit of over Tk 75,000 to Tk 80,000.
The fruit is short-duration. Farmers can harvest it after 55 to 60 days of its cultivation.
Additional deputy director of DAE Asad Shaheed said farmers of the vast Barind tract show more interest to grow the fruits on a commercial basis as its cultivation is proved more profitable to them.
