Shivani Gain, When enrolled in seventh grade, married into a low-income household. The household was not well-run due to the husband's meagre salary. He used to make a living by working as a jhi' (housekeeper) at other people's homes. He occasionally had to perform everyday labour such as clearing the field's grass, mowing the ground and even harvesting paddy. Watermelon farming has transformed his life.
 
The husband and wife began growing watermelon three years ago after obtaining two bighas of land. That year, after deducting expenditures, a profit of one lakh rupees was made. They had no need to turn around since then. Pradeep Chandra Gain of Bagali Union of Koira Upazila in Khulna is married to Shivani Gain. The couple reside in Barpota village. On 21 bigha plots in Baropata Bill of Bagali Union, Koira, he has planted watermelons this season. hoping to make a healthy profit.
 
Zubair Rahman of Chandipur village of Amadi Union got Tk 16 lakh by selling watermelons of 30 bigha of land last year.  This year he has cultivated 50 bighas of land.
 
Farmer Ranjan of Amadi Union has cultivated watermelon this year in Chatkatola Bill of Bagali Union.  He started living there temporarily with his family.  21 Bigha land is cultivated with leachate.  He said, the loss of Bagali land is much less than that of Amadi Union.  Besides, there is no vacant land anywhere in Amadi Union.  That's why I came to Bagali Union.  Besides, he is hoping that the yield will be good in the new place.  He said that he has been cultivating watermelon for 6/7 years.  He also bought two bigha of land to overcome the poverty of the family.
 
Not only Shivani Gain, Zubair and Ranjan, hundreds of families of Koira upazila are standing in the midst of watermelon cultivation.  Watermelon cultivation is expanding every year with new bills, and employment is being created for thousands of people.
 
A visit to various bills in Koira, a coastal upazila of Sarezmin Khulna, reveals field after field of green watermelons amid the salty weather.  Despite the salty dust flying on the road, there are rows of watermelons in the field.  Most of the trees have yielded.  Some trees have started picking watermelons.  The season has not started yet.  The work of picking and selling watermelons will start in full swing within the next month. Farmers are busy tending the watermelon fields.  Some are irrigating the fields, some are giving fertilizers or medicines, and some are picking watermelons from the fields.  Many have built small houses to live in the fields to guard the watermelon fields.  They have also provided electricity there through solar system.
 
Talking to the farmers, it is known that the agricultural system based on Aman was in operation in Koira.  Due to salinity and water scarcity, farmers here are not very interested in boro cultivation.  A few years ago, the land here was left uncultivated after cultivation of Aman paddy.  Those lands are the dreams of the farmers.  Upakul farmers are becoming interested as the investment is doubled to three times in a short period of time.
 
It is also known that the first watermelon cultivation started in several fields of Amadi Union of Koira Upazila.  Watermelon cultivation has been expanded to other Unions as well due to good yield and profit.  Watermelon cultivation in Bagali Union has increased almost 12 times compared to last year.  Experienced farmers from Amadi Union are now coming to Bagali Union and cultivating watermelons with soil leachate.
 
It is also known that watermelon cultivation costs 20-25 thousand taka per bigha.  And it is sold from 60 thousand taka to one lakh taka per bigha.According to the sources of Koira Upazila Agriculture Department, in 2020, watermelon was cultivated on only 65 hectares of land in Koira Upazila.  Production was 2 thousand 470 metric tons.  The next year, ten times more, watermelons were planted on 650 hectares of land.  Production was 29 thousand 249 metric tons. 
 
In 2022, the amount of land under watermelon cultivation in the upazila increased to 895 hectares as farmers got good prices that year.  Production was 31 thousand 64 metric tons.  Then in 2023, the amount of watermelon plantation land in the upazila increased to 1 thousand 200 hectares.  Last year production was 44 thousand 528 metric tons.  Breaking all previous records, farmers cultivated watermelon on the most land this year.  This year, the amount of watermelon plantation land in the upazila has increased to 2 thousand 930 hectares.  The production target has been fixed at 1 lakh 10 thousand 960 metric tons.
 
Al Mahfuz, deputy assistant agriculture officer of Bagali Union of Koira sub-district, said that last year Bagali Union cultivated 50 hectares of land and many large-sized watermelons were produced.  This year 610 hectares of land has been cultivated.  Watermelon is being cultivated in several districts including Islampur, Baga, Ma
likhali, Chatkatla, Baropota, Ula.  New bills are coming under Abad.  Farmers are cultivating several varieties of watermelon including Pakiza, Sweet Dragon, Marvelous, Anarkali.
 
Koira Upzilla Agriculture Officer Md. Abdullah Al Mamun said, Watermelon plays an important role in the agricultural economy of Koira.  Coir melons are in high demand in the market due to their high taste.  In the current season, watermelons have been grown extensively.  Watermelon has been cultivated for the first time in Koira's many one-crop fields.  If the weather is finally favorable, the production will be much better inshallah.
 
He also said that the irrigation crisis became acute during the last season of watermelon.  Arrangements have been made to dig mini ponds and canals for the irrigation of farmers.  In this some farmers are getting irrigation facilities.

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