RAIPURA, NARSINGDI, May 7: Muskmelon, locally known as Bangi, has yielded bumper in Raipura Upazila of the district.
Now there is eye-catching horizon with assembly of vast muskmelon fields in Chanderkandi Char at Banshgari Union under the upazila.
Seeing their full-grown muskmelon fields and getting fair price, growers of Chanderkandi are delighted. They are weaving hope with the good-yielded fruit.
Muskmelon-farming is cost-effective it requires little capital, and the fruit is comparatively profitable. So, every year farmers are shifting to its farming at a larger scale.
Since the beginning of Ramadan, per piece melon has been selling at Tk 60-70 at the wholesale level while Tk 150-200 at the retail level.
Muskmelon is a summer fruit. People choose it after watermelon to keep body cool amid severe heat. This Ramadan fasting people are consuming muskmelon to address exhaustion.
A visit to the Chanderkandi found most people in the locality farming muskmelon. In-field sale of the fruit was seen taking place in full swing.
Wholesalers were seen coming from different areas of Narsingdi and other districts including Brahmanbaria District to purchase the fruit. After purchasing from fields, wholesalers are marketing these in different haats and bazaars in their respective district.
While talking with this correspondent of The Daily Observer, some local growers said, muskmelon is more profitable than other fruits or vegetables; that is why most farmers are showing interest in farming it; and compared to last year's, the muskmelon price is going well this year.
Per 100 pieces of muskmelon is available at a wholesale filed rate of Tk 6,000-7,000.
Grower Sujan Mia said, he has been farming muskmelon for the last four years; this year he has farmed it on 39.67 decimals of land at Tk 60,000. If the present market price continues, he will get a profit of Tk 80,000 to 90,000.
He further said, in the last year, he got a profit of Tk 75,000 from a total sale of Tk 1.10 lakh. On the same land, he had farmed muskmelon at Tk 35,000 in the last year.
Wholesaler Morshed Mia said, "We are purchasing per 100 pieces of muskmelon at Tk 7,000 from field. After adjusting wage, carrying, and other costs, we are selling per piece at a profit rate of Tk 5."
Echoing him other wholesalers said, they are satisfied for getting Tk 5 profit per piece.
Raipura Upazila Agriculture Officer Mostafizur Rahman said, about 35 hectares of land have been brought under muskmelon in char areas of the upazila this year. A total production of about 700 tonnes is expected.
This fruit contains huge glucose, vitamin and minerals. But it contains less sugar. That is why it is especially popular to diabetes patients, he added.
In different upazila haats and bazaars, per piece muskmelon is being sold at Tk 150 to 200.
