Arshad Ahmed Asad, Gafargaon (Mymensingh)

The sun shines on the watermelon field in the hot afternoon. Looking at the watermelon, the eyes are dazzled. Bamboo huts across the field. 'Smart Boy' variety of watermelons are hanging in those lofts. Not one or two, but hundreds of watermelons.

This is the scene of Jasim Uddin Khan Mukta's watermelon field in Kandi village of Mashakhali Union in Gafargaon Upazila of Mymensingh. He impressed everyone by cultivating watermelon for the first time on his land in his neighboring village Prasadpur on the advice of the Agriculture Department.

Watermelon not only looks good but also helps in providing nutrients to the body. Almost everyone eats watermelon during summer. Watermelon also works as an effective medicine for pain related problems, helps to keep kidneys healthy, keeps the heart healthy, etc. Watermelon has many properties.

Jasim Uddin Khan Mukta succeeded in cultivating this watermelon which has many qualities. Hanging in the loft are the beautiful watermelons cultivated by him. The inside of this watermelon is bright red. Sweet and delicious in taste.

Going to Prasadpur village, it can be seen that some people are buying watermelon directly from the farm. Someone is plucking watermelon from the tree. Watermelon is hanging in the attic. Among the green leaves, wherever the eye went, only watermelons were seen hanging.

There he spoke with watermelon farmer Jasim Uddin Khan Mukta. He said that he collected 800 seeds from Bogra at the end of February.

After that, a bed is made there and mulching paper is spread over it. In the meantime, he produced seedlings.

After that he planted saplings with the advice and overall cooperation of Gafargaon Agriculture Department. So far, he has spent at least 30 thousand taka for land preparation, fertilizer, seeds, macha, yarn and netting. He did all the work with the advice of Upazila Agriculture Officer Rakib Al Rana and Assistant Plant Conservation Officer Ruhul Amin. It has saved his production cost quite a lot.

He said that he will be able to start selling watermelons within the next week. He also said that excluding expenses, he will gain at least 70 thousand taka. Using this experience, he has a plan to grow watermelon on double the land in the future.

Upazila Agriculture Officer, agriculturist Rakib Al Rana, said that watermelons have been planted on about 1 acre of land in the upazila this year as part of the Greater Mymensingh Region Crop Intensification Project.

Among them, farmer Jasim Uddin was given watermelon exhibition. He has cultivated melons in lofts on 33 percent of the land. Now the watermelons in his field weigh between 5 and 8 kg.

The inside of the watermelon has a nice red color. This watermelon of Smartboy variety has received a great response in Gafargaon upazila.

At present Jasim Uddin's field has produced a bumper crop of watermelons. Local farmers are showing great interest after seeing the good yield of watermelon. They will plant this kind of watermelon in the year of Samon.

Assistant agricultural officers working at the field level are working in the upazila. The upazila agriculture office will always give necessary guidance and provide all-round support to the farmers regarding how to increase the cultivation of watermelon in the upazila.