The village of Ghaoghra, surrounded by the Shukdara and Rajkhar wetlands, is now shimmering with green lights along the embankments of its fish enclosures. Farmers have built bamboo trellises over the ponds, and from those trellises stretch vines carrying the promise of a new dream—off-season watermelon.
Located 35 kilometers from Khulna city in Surkhali Union, Bhadra River, the village once thrived on triple-crop farming. Over time, however, increasing salinity rendered the land unsuitable for traditional cultivation. Facing this crisis, farmers turned to fish farming and soon began experimenting with planting watermelons along the pond embankments. Using bamboo platforms, they trained the vines to grow above the water. The result has been a bumper harvest of off-season watermelons, bringing smiles of relief and hope to farming families.
The Department of Agricultural Extension has hailed this as a major success, noting that the off-season watermelons are rich in vitamins and nutrients, making them both profitable and healthy.
Local farmer Osman Gazi described the transformation of his life, recalling that just three years ago he struggled to provide for his family by selling vegetables. Renting one and a half bighas of land, he ventured into off-season watermelon farming using the trellis method. “In the first year, I spent around Tk 30,000, but I sold watermelons worth Tk 110,000. That success changed everything. I found a way to live better,” he said.
Similar stories are found across the Shukdara and Rajkhar wetlands. Farmers who once grew vegetables or relied only on fish farming are now supplementing their income with watermelons. In villages such as Chandardanga, Ghaoghra, and Surkhali, off-season watermelon cultivation has become a bustling activity.
Farmer Arab Ali Sardar, who previously grew bitter gourd with limited profit, explained that watermelons require less time and money but yield far higher returns. Other farmers, including Raju Sheikh, Mahbub Molla, Abidur Rahman, Osman Sheikh, and Saddam Sheikh, confirmed that wholesalers frequently visit their fields, paying Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,900 per maund this season.
According to statistics from the Department of Agricultural Extension, cultivation of off-season watermelons in Khulna has tripled in just five years. This season alone, farmers have produced watermelons worth more than Tk 110 crore.
Officials said the crop has become something of a blessing, especially as production of other seasonal fruits declines in August. The cost of cultivating one bigha of land is Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000, while harvests are ready within 60 days. Each watermelon weighs between three and five kilograms, and farmers sell them at Tk 30 to Tk 35 per kilogram in local markets. From one bigha, a farmer can earn around Tk 120,000 in sales.
While nine upazilas in Khulna now grow off-season watermelons, Botiaghata and Dumuria lead in acreage and output.
Nazrul Islam, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Khulna, said the region’s soil and climate are well-suited for watermelon cultivation. “It is very profitable as farmers can use fallow and abandoned land for just two months and still get high returns. With strong demand, market prices are also favorable. That is why the number of off-season watermelon growers is increasing every year,” he noted, adding that this season’s production is expected to surpass Tk 110 crore.
