Cultivation of bitter gourd on a large scale in different upazilas of the district and a better price of the crop have started changing the fate of several thousand farmers.
Sources concerned said most of the bitter gourd farmers are very happy as they got a double price of their products during the current season.Farmers of Ghior upazila of the district cultivated bitter gourd on 250 hectares this time and achieved a good production. Local farmers are sellingtheir bitter gourd to retailers at a high price.
Abul Hasan, one of the bitter gourd cultivators of Bastia village of Ghior upazila, said he was selling bitter gourd at Tk. 30-35 per kg against Tk.12-15 in the last year.
Ghior Upazila Agriculture Extension Department sources said the crop was cultivated in the area under the export standard vegetable cultivation Programme during the current season.
The sources said the land in the villages of Bastia, Valkutia, Chowbaria, Angurpara, Chango Shimulia and Pukhuria of Baliakhora union of Ghior upazila is suitable for bitter gourd cultivation.
Shamsul Huq, another farmer, said he cultivated bitter gourd on seven bighas of land and has already earned a profit of Taka one lakh.
Altaf Hossain of Angurpara village of the same upazila said he cultivated bitter gourd on four bighas of land and received about Taka two lakh by selling his produce.
Ashraf Uzzaman, Ghior Upazila Agriculture Officer, said the field level agriculture workers have been providing guidance to the farmers to maximize production.
The farmers of Harirampur and Shibalaya upazilas of the district are cultivating bitter gourd and earning a sound profit from their output.
Mohammad Habibur Rahman Chowdhury, Deputy Director, Department of Agriculture Extension, said farmers of Manikganj produce best quality bitter gourd which has a great demand in markets across the country, reports BSS, Manikganj.
