BOGURA, Apr 17: With frequent monitoring by Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), pumpkin cultivation has brought a revolutionary success among the extreme poor farmers in Bogura district this season.
According to a DAE official, the farming is expanding across the region as its cultivation is easier and extra cost- free. The farming is gaining momentum in all 12 upazilas of the region.
With a small investment, the farmers are making a good profit as each small- sized hybrid pumpkin is being sold at Tk 60 to 70, medium at Tk 180 to 200 and big size one at Tk 250 to 300 in the market.
The farmers are to spend only Tk 10,000 to 11,000 to cultivate a bigha of pumpkin but sell their produce at Tk 50 to 80 thousand. The farmers needn't spray any pesticide in the cropland as pest attack can be removed by using pheromone trap.
"I have cultivated hybrid pumpkin on 14 decimal of land with the assistance of local agriculture officials this season," said farmer Golam Rabbany under Shibganj upazila. "I got some 200 pumpkins and sold at Tk 16000." he added.
During a visit at Mohasthan haat this correspondent found the farmers are coming from different villages with pumpkins and the wholesalers are purchasing at satisfactory price from the growers. The wholesalers are exporting the crops across the country meeting the local demands.
Pumpkin farming has turned into commercial as its cultivation is proved a lucrative one, said sub-assistant agriculture officer Faridur Rahman. He also said, 'We have provided all sorts of necessary inputs to the growers.
