Maulvibazar farmers embrace off-season watermelon cultivation on trellis

In an innovative development for local agriculture, all-season watermelons are being cultivated for the very first time using the trellis method in Domabari village, located within Goalbari union of Juri upazila in Maulvibazar district. This pioneering farming initiative has transformed agricultural practices in the area, demonstrating that advanced techniques can yield significant benefits for rural growers operating on limited plots of land.

Local agricultural entrepreneur Khurshed Alam explained the origins of the project, noting that he initially started growing all-season watermelons to meet family demands under the agricultural development project for the Sylhet region using modern methods. After realizing how profitable the fruit could be, he transitioned to commercial farming. According to Khurshed Alam, it is possible to earn as much as five thousand Taka within three months from cultivating watermelons across three bighas of land, a prospect that has inspired many others to follow his lead.

The initiative has successfully drawn other local farmers into the venture, including Sirajul Islam and Saidul Islam, who have undertaken off-season watermelon cultivation on approximately 20 decimals of land. Reflecting on the initial phase, Saidul Islam shared that while there were some early apprehensions about starting with a new method, following the advice and guidance of the local agricultural department ultimately resulted in a strong yield and expectations of profitable sales. Similarly, Sirajul Islam noted that although favorable weather could have driven the yield even higher, this season's success has inspired plans to expand watermelon cultivation on a much larger scale in the future.

Community members and local workers have also noted the positive economic ripple effects of the project. Murshed Ahmed observed that villagers are increasingly turning their attention toward cultivating all-season watermelons and various other crops, inspired by the agricultural endeavors of Khurshed. Meanwhile, workers such as Abdur Rahim mentioned that they take on employment in the all-season watermelon fields alongside their other daily work, generating valuable additional income for themselves and their families.

Neighboring residents have taken notice of the trend, with Sain Uddin pointing out that Khurshed has introduced cultivation of multiple crop varieties in the village, prompting many others to become watermelon farmers themselves. Because all-season watermelons currently enjoy abundant demand and higher prices in local markets, participating cultivators are proving to be notably profitable under the guidance and emulation of their peers.

Institutional support has played a critical role in driving this agricultural shift forward. Roni Singh, noting that cultivating all-season watermelons using the trellis system represents a brand-new initiative for the area, emphasized that success has been achieved through consistent advisory services and active field-level monitoring for the farmers. Mahmudul Alam Khan further reinforced this commitment, stating that growing all-season watermelons on trellises opens up brand-new possibilities for the agricultural sector by demonstrating that high yields and greater profits can be unlocked from small plots of land through advanced technology. The agricultural department maintains its dedication to providing essential technical assistance to growers and stands ready to support similar innovative farming activities moving forward.