Present prices delight bottle gourd farmers

GOPALGANJ, Dec 15: Grassroots bottle gourd farmers in Gopalganj Sadar are delighted over the present market prices of the vegetable this season.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Gopalganj, a total of 491 hectares of land in the district have been brought under 'Ghenai' variety bottle gourd cultivation.
Of the total, some 265 hectares of land are in Sadar upazila.
The officials at the DAE expect some 11,381 tonnes of bottle gourd in the upazila this season.
Around 2,300 farmers are involved in the farming of the item.
Shihab Sheikh of Nakrirchar village under Raghunathpur union in Sadar upazila said he cultivated gourd on 65 decimals of land.
"I have already made a profit of Tk 60,000 from the produce and expecting to earn Tk 40,000 more till the end of the season", Mr Sheikh added.
Prodip Halder, sub-assistant agriculture officer of DAE of Parkushli Block said bottle gourd 'Ghenai' farming is gaining popularity among the growers for low production cost.
The variety is much productive than the other local ones, he added.
Samir Kumar Gawshami, deputy director (Agriculture) of Gopalganj said the variety is of short duration. Farmers can harvest produce after 55 to 60 days of plantation.
Farmers should grow the vegetable every year for healthy return, he added.
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