PANCHAGARH: Pumpkin cultivation has changed the socio-economic condition of many farmers of the district this year, reports BSS. A large number of farmers here involved themselves in HYV pumpkin cultivation considering its economic prospect. They cultivate pumpkins on lands and premises of their houses. Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said a total of 900 hectares of land was brought under pumpkins cultivation in five upazilas of the district. Many farmers have started cultivating pumpkins on commercial basis.

Halim Uddin, a farmer of Ramganj Bilashi under Debiganj upazila is one of the successful pumpkin growers. He cultivated HYV pumpkin on 30 decimals of land. He expects to earn over Taka 40,000 this season. Halim Uddin said HYV pumpkin seeds can be sowed at any time round the year.

Harvesting of the vegetable begins after only two months of the sowing seeds. It continues for the next three to four months. Each HYV sweet pumpkin creeper produces over 200 pumpkins. A single family can meet its annual demand of pumpkin by sowing only two HYV pumpkin seeds at his courtyard and on an interval of six months, the farmer told BSS.

At the beginning of the season, pumpkin is sold at exorbitant prices. A single piece is sold at Taka 25 to 30. Gradually the prices came down with adequate supply. About 4,000 to Taka 5,000 is needed to cultivate HYV pumpkin on one bigha of land, Halim Uddin said. Md, Samchul Huque, deputy director of DAE, told BSS that farmers in Panchagarh are showing interest in cultivating pumpkin in more lands.