Farmer Ikhlas strikes gold with rockmelon cultivation on Dhurung River island

Farmers once cultivated various vegetables, including potatoes, radishes and eggplants, on the char of the Dhurung River in Fatikchhari, Chattogram. Now, farmer Mohammad Ikhlas (42), has achieved success by cultivating rockmelon, a fruit native to desert regions, for the first time on 40 decimals of land on the river island. Inspired by YouTube videos, he collected seeds online and started the cultivation.

He has earned Tk 108,000 by selling 1,800 kilograms of rockmelon in his first attempt. Another approximately 1,500 kilograms of fruit remain in the field. Overall, he expects to sell rockmelon worth Tk 200,000 to Tk 250,000 this season.

Ikhlas’s rockmelon field is located on the char of the Dhurung River near the Manikpur Boinnachola Bridge in Kanchannagar Union of Fatikchhari Upazila. His father’s name was the late Abul Kashem. He is a resident of Nurul Alam Sardar Bari.

Ikhlas has been involved in farming for a long time. Before cultivating rockmelon, he grew various fruits and agricultural products, including bananas and jujubes. He also previously ran a tree business.

Seeking to try something new and earn higher profits, he decided to move beyond conventional crops and cultivate rockmelon this season. On August 22, he planted 2,400 saplings on 40 decimals of land using mulching paper. His initial investment for the cultivation was approximately Tk 45,000. The plants started bearing fruit about one and a half months after planting. Almost all the plants have now produced fruit.

Rockmelon has a light green outer skin and yellow flesh inside. The fruit tastes sweet but has no distinctive aroma. Ikhlas is selling rockmelon at Tk 70 per kilogram in the wholesale market. Wholesalers are purchasing the fruit directly from his field. Buyers are coming from different areas as well as the upazila headquarters.

So far, he has earned Tk 108,000 by selling 1,800 kilograms of rockmelon. Another approximately 1,500 kilograms remain in the field. Ikhlas expects to earn an additional Tk 100,000 to Tk 150,000 from selling the remaining fruit. Overall, he expects sales worth approximately Tk 200,000 to Tk 250,000 from his first attempt at cultivation.

Four local workers are helping Ikhlas cultivate rockmelon. They also assist him with his other agricultural activities. He has used organic fertilizer and sulfur for cultivation. In addition, he has applied several types of pesticides as needed to control insects.

Besides Ikhlas, five other farmers in different unions of Fatikchhari Upazila have also cultivated rockmelon. However, Ikhlas is the first to commercially cultivate the fruit on the Dhurung River char in Kanchannagar Union. His success has generated interest in rockmelon cultivation among other farmers in the area.