A good number of peasants in the remote villages under Gopalganj Sadar upazila have been making a good profit by cultivating wax gourd. They are satisfied over the present market price of the vegetable.
According to the officials at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), about 170 hectares of land were brought under wax gourd farming in the upazila with the production target of 2,550 tonnes. Some 3,500 people are engaged with the farming of the popular item.
Deputy Director (Agriculture), Gopalganj, Ramesh Chandra Bramha said wax gourd cultivation is popular among the growers for easy procedure and low production cost. He said it a short duration item. Growers can make good profit within a short period of time.
Kaiyum Sikder of Gosherchar village under Sadar upzila said he cultivated wax gourd on 10 decimals of land this current season spending Tk 3,000. "I expect to make profit of around Tk 10,000 from the sale of my produce", he added.
Wax gourd is selling at Tk 25 to Tk 30 per piece in the local kitchen market, the grower further said. Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer of DAE, Manikdha Kacharibari Block under Gopalganj Sadar said grassroots farmers are happy over the production and present market price of the item. Saleha Begum of Nowagram village said she cultivates wax gourd at her homestead every season. She said she has already started harvesting wax gourd this season and sold some at the local market.
