A young farmer in Tangail has shown how innovation and determination can transform riverine char land into a profitable farming venture, with successful cultivation of Golden Crown watermelon, also called yellow watermelon, along the Jamuna riverbank.
Suman Mia, a 28-year-old degree student of Bhuapur Government Ibrahim Khan College, has achieved success in cultivating yellow watermelon in the char areas of Gabsara’s Faldapara erosion zone under Bhuapur Upazila after earlier successes with maize and groundnut farming.
The Jamuna river char areas in Bhuapur were once considered unsuitable for diversified agriculture, with farmers largely dependent on groundnut, maize or risky tobacco cultivation due to sandy soil and erosion risks.
Breaking that long-held perception, Suman took the initiative to cultivate watermelon for the first time after watching farming videos on YouTube, investing his own resources and experimenting on leased land.
Local farmers believe that if watermelon cultivation is expanded across the Jamuna char areas with government support and incentives, farmers’ incomes could multiply through multiple crop cycles on the same land while also contributing to meeting national demand for watermelon.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension in Tangail, farmers are cultivating three varieties of watermelon on around four hectares of char land this year in Bhuapur, Nagarpur, Kalihati and Tangail Sadar upazilas, driven by the prospect of high returns at relatively low cost.
Speaking to TIMES, watermelon grower Suman Mia said he leased five bighas of land this year and planted Tripti, Madhumala and Pakija varieties, resulting in around 5,000 watermelon plants across the field.
He explained that Tripti and Madhumala watermelons are yellow on the outside, while the Pakija variety is green-skinned, though all have bright red flesh inside and are notably sweet in taste.
Suman said his total investment stood at around Tk6 lakh and he expects to make a profit of nearly Tk5 lakh from the five bighas.
He added that watermelon is a winter crop that matures within just three months.
He said harvesting of chemical-free watermelons would begin within a week, with individual fruits weighing between five and seven kilograms, and added that the yield and fruit size had exceeded his expectations.
Suman’s yellow watermelon field has already attracted visitors from surrounding areas, with many farmers expressing interest in adopting the crop after seeing the results first-hand.
Encouraged by the response, he said he plans to expand watermelon cultivation commercially in the coming years, noting that sandy char soil is proving ideal for the crop if managed properly.
He added that at least 10 farmers who previously cultivated tobacco in the area have shown interest in switching to watermelon farming next year after witnessing his success.
Bhuapur Upazila Agriculture Officer Mokhlesur Rahman said Golden Crown watermelon is a relatively new variety in Bangladesh and is usually cultivated off-season, fetching better market prices.
He said the variety is smaller in size, yellow on the outside and red inside, and is both nutritious and high-yielding, making it attractive to farmers seeking higher profits.
The agriculture officer added that the department is providing regular monitoring and technical advice to encourage wider adoption of watermelon cultivation in char areas, enabling farmers to become financially self-reliant through low-cost, high-return farming.
