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Farmers in remote areas of Gopalganj Sadar upazila have found teasel gourd (kakrol) cultivation to be a profitable venture in recent time.
Farming of the vegetable has raised hope among the farmers for its cost-effectiveness.
According to sources at the Gopalganj Sadar Upazila Agriculture Office, a total of five hectares of land have been brought under teasel gourd (kakrol) cultivation in the upazila this season.
Total production target was set at 75 tonnes, sources said.
Ajgor Sikder (50), a farmer of Kutibari village in the upazila, said, "I cultivated teasel gourd on 26 decimals of land in the current season. Spending about Tk 26,000, I will get about 39 maunds of kakrol from my field, whose market price is approximately Tk 1,25,000."
Per kg teasel gourd is now being sold for Tk80 to 85 in different local haats and markets of the district
Md Mahbub, sub-assistant agriculture officer (SAAO) of Suktail union of the upazila, told the FE that teasel gourd (kakrol) was a farmer-friendly vegetable.
Farmers get return in the shortest possible time because crop can be harvested within 55 to 60 days of planting. The vegetable's farming needs a small investment, said the SAAO, adding only Tk 1,000 is needed for its cultivation on one decimal land.
About 60 to 65 kg teasel gourd can be collected from the same quantity of land, whose market price is about Tk 4,800.
Rafique Jamadder (55), another farmer of Gobra union of the upazila, said he cultivated teasel gourd (kakrol) on 13 decimals of land in the current year and its harvesting has already begun.
By this time, about 15 maunds of teasel gourd has been collected from his field and sold at the local markets.
He has got about Tk 48,000 income from the crop and harvesting is still going on.
The remaining crop in the field may be sold for Tk 16,000 after harvesting.
At one stage, farmer Rafique said, teasel gourd farming is profitable enough but the production cost so less.
Mafroza Akter, upazila agriculture officer (UAO), Gopalganj Sadar, told the FE about five hectares of land were brought under teasel gourd cultivation in Sadar upazila this season and harvesting is still continuing.
The areas where teasel gourd farming is prominent include Gopinathpur, Raghunathpur and Gobra.
About 100 farmers are involved in its cultivation in the region and they are being highly benefited from the crop, the UAO said.