Ziaul Islam Saju, Gangni (Meherpur)

 Farmers in Gangni upazila of Meherpur are celebrating a bumper yield and lucrative market prices for ash gourd cultivated on trellises during the current Rabi season, supported by favorable weather conditions, timely guidance from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), and meticulous crop management.

Toxic-free ash gourds produced in the upazila are meeting local demand while being transported daily to various districts across the country, including Dhaka. The strong commercial returns have injected fresh economic dynamism into local vegetable markets.

According to data from the DAE, ash gourd was cultivated on approximately 125 hectares of land across the upazila this Rabi season. Favorable weather conditions have boosted average production to 25–26 metric tonnes per hectare, putting the total estimated output for Gangni on track to hit around 3,000 metric tonnes this season.

While ash gourd was traditionally grown on residential roofs or household bamboo frames, a growing number of farmers in the upazila have adopted commercial field cultivation using elevated trellis systems.

Kuddus Ali, a local farmer who cultivated ash gourd on two bighas of land using trellises, noted on Thursday  that adherence to advice from local agriculture officers and regular field care yielded excellent crop returns and satisfactory market prices. 

Another farmer, Bablu Miah, shared that trellis cultivation costs approximately Tk 30,000 to Tk 35,000 per bigha, but high yield and market demand ensure substantial profits, inspiring plans to expand cultivation next year. 

Gangni Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Al Mamun stated that the increase in production this year is the direct result of favorable weather combined with continuous technical guidance and field support provided to growers.