Farmers in Bhola's Charfashion upazila are currently occupied with the cultivation of seasonal watermelons, dedicating their time to plant care and irrigation. With favorable weather conditions, they anticipate a good harvest this year.
This season, watermelon cultivation has been undertaken in nine out of the 21 unions of the upazila. The target for cultivation was set at 11,550 hectares, and more than 10,870 hectares have already been cultivated.
Farmers began producing seedlings in polybags in mid-November and later transplanted them into the fields. Many of these plants have started to bloom, and farmers expect the fruit to begin appearing within the next month.
Jhulhas Bepari, a farmer from Kolmi union who has been growing watermelons for 11 years, has cultivated Glory and Jambu varieties on 240 decimals of land this year. His investment was 19,000 taka per kani, with costs amounting to 80,000–90,000 taka so far. If the weather remains favorable, he expects to sell his harvest within one and a half months. Abdul Khalek, another farmer from the same area, has cultivated watermelons on 960 decimals of land. Encouraged by last year’s profit, he expanded his cultivation, but rising fertilizer prices, which increased by 300–400 taka per bag, have been a source of concern.
Local laborers like Md. Hossain work under three-month contracts, earning 20,000 taka per month. Their responsibilities range from land preparation to post-harvest care. These workers live in makeshift huts near the fields, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring of the crops.
According to Agricultural Sub-Assistant Officer Thakur Krishna Das, the upazila produces several watermelon varieties, including Dragon, Dragon Super, Glory, Jambu, and Banglalink. Under optimal weather conditions, the yield per hectare can range from 50 to 60 metric tons, while production costs vary between 150,000 and 200,000 taka per hectare.
Md. Zillur Rahman, the manager of theCharfashion branch of the Agricultural Bank, stated that farmers previously received agricultural incentive loans at a 4% interest rate, but this initiative ended in December 2024. Currently, loans are provided at a 12% interest rate. In the 2024–25 fiscal year, theCharfashion branch extended loans to 990 farmers, most of whom are watermelon growers. The bank also provides financial support to tenant farmers through collateral-free loans.
Charfashion Upazila Agriculture Officer Rokonuzzaman emphasized that the region has become a major hub for watermelon cultivation due to its favorable yield in recent years. The primary areas of cultivation include Char Kolmi, Nozrulnagar, Dakshin Char Aicha, Nurabad, Nilkomol, Osman Ganj, Abubakkarpur, and Mujibnagar unions. Compared to previous years, both the cultivation area and expected production have increased significantly this season.
