Despite a bumper watermelon harvest this season, farmers in the coastal areas of Barguna, including Amtali and Taltali upazilas, are facing heavy financial losses due to a sharp decline in wholesale buyers, rising transport costs and inadequate storage facilities.
Farmers say that while fields across the region are filled with ripe watermelons, a combination of heavy rains, waterlogging and logistical challenges has severely disrupted the supply chain.
As a result, large quantities of produce remain unsold in the fields, with many melons already rotting.
According to Department of Agricultural Extension, watermelons were cultivated on around 12,324 hectares in Barguna district this season, with about 5,500 hectares at Amtali upazila and nearly 6,000 hectares in the district headquarters area alone.
However, farmers across villages such as Atharogachhia, Chawra, Holdia, Kukua, Gulishakhali, Sharikkhali, Sonakata, Nishanbaria and several others have been hit hard by market instability.
Growers reported that sudden heavy rainfall at the beginning of the season submerged many fields, damaging ripe watermelons.
The situation worsened as transport costs surged sharply; truck fares reportedly increased from around Tk 35,000 to Tk 50,000 due to fuel shortages, discouraging wholesale traders from visiting farms.
A farmer from Barguna Sadar, Fazlur Rahman Howlader, said he invested nearly Tk 500,000 in cultivating three acres of land, but flooding and poor prices have made it impossible to recover costs.
Another farmer from Sonakata union of Taltali upazila, Abdul Haque Foraji, said he had taken loans for cultivation but is now struggling as buyers are not arriving and transport is unavailable.
Farmers also blamed the absence of cold storage or proper preservation facilities, forcing them to sell produce at extremely low prices or watch it rot in the fields. In many cases, watermelons are being sold at less than half of production cost.
Barguna Department of Agricultural Extension Deputy Director Rathindra Nath Biswas acknowledged that while production was strong this year, unexpected rainfall, waterlogging, transport disruptions and market limitations have prevented farmers from receiving fair prices.
Officials said watermelon cultivation exceeded targets this year, covering about 15,838 hectares; 4,326 hectares more than last year"with total production reaching approximately 692,325 tonnes. Although a large portion of the harvest has already entered the market, valued at around Tk 2,800 crore, many farmers remain unable to benefit due to weak market access and logistical bottlenecks.
As a result, despite record production, thousands of watermelon farmers in Barguna are now facing significant financial losses.
ASK/SH
