Watermelon in fish farms

Around 6,200 farmers across nine upazilas of Khulna have been cultivating off-season watermelon on approximately 919 hectares of land in fish farms.
This innovative method has boosted yields, profits, and enthusiasm among farmers.
In Dumuria upazila alone, around 2,250 farmers are growing watermelon on nearly 305 hectares of fish farms, producing 30-35 tonnes per hectare.
The total production in the upazila is estimated to be worth around Tk 40 crore, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension.
During a visit to several integrated farms in Dumuria, this correspondent saw watermelon being cultivated on raised bamboo platforms along fish enclosures, with fruits wrapped in net bags to protect them from pests and damage.
The watermelon variety, “Astha”, starts yielding fruit within 60-62 days and can often be harvested three times per season. This dark-green variety has seen rising demand, especially when regular watermelons are unavailable.
“I cultivated ‘Astha’ on 40 decimals of land along my fish enclosures. The fruits weigh 4-8 kg and sell for Tk 35–40 per kg. I spent around Tk 25,000 and have already sold watermelons worth Tk 1,20,000. Traders come to us, so we don’t need to take the produce to market,” said Mirtunjoy, a local farmer.
Farmer Afzal Hossain added, “It’s a profitable crop with minimal cost and effort. Even heavy rains cause little damage due to the elevated banks of the enclosures.”
A similar scenario was observed in Batiaghata upazila.
Md Insad Ibne Amin, Dumuria’s upazila agriculture officer, said a decade ago, farmers were unfamiliar with this method. “With guidance from DAE and cooperation among themselves, farmers have profited from integrated fish farming and watermelon cultivation,” he said.
Pintu Mallik, sub-assistant agriculture officer of Batiaghata, pointed out that watermelon seeds are imported from countries like Thailand, Japan, and India, though high seed costs and limited storage facilities are challenges.
Kazi Jahangir Hossain, deputy director of DAE in Khulna, said the practice has positively impacted the region’s agriculture and economy but emphasised the need for affordable, improved seed varieties and better storage facilities.