The demand for melons is increasing in different districts including the capital

News Desk: Exhausted soul in extreme heat, thirsty soul lips just at that time a piece of melody brings peace to the soul. Removes physical fatigue at the moment and brings back freshness. Bangi is one of the summer fruits. Before the arrival of summer, melons are being planted in the char fields of Narsingdi. In the meantime, the char areas of Raipura Upazila of Narsingdi are becoming famous for the cultivation of melons.

Due to the large size of the melons in the region, beautiful to look at and delicious, there has been a huge demand in different districts including the capital. The cultivation of melons is increasing every year in the char areas as it is more profitable with less labor and less cost.

As a result, seasonal employment is being created in this region. According to the District Agriculture Extension Department, melons are cultivated in four char unions of Raipura Upazila of Narsingdi. The unions are Banshgari, Srinagar, Charamdhua, and Mirzachar. However, most of the melons are planted in Banshgari Union. During the current season, melons have been cultivated in a total area of ​​40 hectares in the char areas of Raipura.

Farmers of Madhyanagar and Chanderkandi villages of Banshgari Union cultivate melons commercially on their land. Starting from Madhyanagar or Chanderkandi, at present several melons are being planted in the surrounding areas. The melons produced by all these chars are large in size and bright in color.

Going to the ground, it can be seen that there is a huge char on the bank of the river Meghna between the bamboo carts and Srinagar Union. Extensive char paddy and spice crops, as well as melons, have been cultivated. Scattered on the ground are the green vines of the Bangi tree. Raw-ripe melons are adorning the vines. Wholesale buyers from different parts of the country are bargaining with farmers to buy melons from the land.

Bargaining is going on between the two parties. Bangi farmer Mamun Mia said it does not cost much to cultivate melon. I harvest garlic and melon at once. Giving fertilizer for garlic does not require separate fertilizer for melons. The cost of seeds and medicine. This year, 80,000 Taka has been spent on two acres of land.

I hope we can sell two and a half lakh rupees. Melon cultivation has not only brought prosperity to the farmers but has also created seasonal employment. The distance from the land of Bangi to the boat char is about one and a half kilometers. On the other hand, the distance of pull is one to one and a half kilometers. Seasonal workers pick up melons from the ground in baskets and travel long distances to fill boats or vans.

This shows the great activity of the farmers and workers in the whole char. Wholesale melons are sold in Char as Shatak. Depending on the size, it is being sold at a wholesale price of Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per 100 melons.

Abdul Fattar, Joynal Abedin, a wholesale fruit trader from Madhabadi in Narsingdi, Hossain Ali from Bancharampur in Brahmanbaria, and Rafiqul Islam from Raipura were buying melons from the land. They said that the central city is big in size, beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. Raipura Upazila Agriculture Officer Bani Amin Khan said there is a huge potential for the cultivation of melons in the char areas of Raipura.

In expanding the cultivation of melons, we are giving various advice to the farmers including field visits round the clock. Currently, locally produced seeds are used by farmers. The agriculture department has a plan to train the farmers in the cultivation of melons and provide good seeds.