Dharmendra Kumar: Successful Watermelon Farming in Gaya, Bihar
In Gaya district of Bihar, large scale watermelon farming is being carried out. Young farmer Dharmendra Kumar, residing in Gaya city, is cultivating watermelons in two acres of land in the Chandauti area. Dharmendra is earning a good income from watermelon farming. Last year, he started a trial watermelon farming in 10 katthas of land, and after achieving success, he is now farming on a larger scale. Dharmendra uses new techniques in watermelon farming, such as mulching and drip irrigation, to produce better yields with less water.
Successful Harvest and Cost-Efficient Farming
In February, Dharmendra planted watermelon nurseries in his fields, and by the end of March, the fruits started to grow. He brought watermelon seeds of Bobby and Muskan variety from Ara. The Bobby variety yields fruits in 55 days, while the Muskan variety starts bearing fruits in 65 to 70 days. One acre of land yields around 12 tons of produce with the Bobby variety and up to 15 tons with the Muskan variety. The cost of farming on one acre is approximately 70-75 thousand rupees.
Benefitting from Agricultural Department’s Schemes
Dharmendra has also benefited from the schemes of the agricultural department, which provide subsidy for drip irrigation and mulching. His watermelons are sold in the local mandi of Gaya, fetching a rate of 40-50 rupees per kilo. Previously, Dharmendra only cultivated vegetables, but on the advice of the agriculture department, he started watermelon farming last year. He saved 60 thousand rupees in 10 katthas of land last year, and this year, he hopes to save around 3 lakhs by cutting costs.
गया जिले के चंदौती इलाके में रहने वाले धर्मेंद्र कुमार ने खरबूजे की खेती में नई तकनीक का इस्तेमाल करके अच्छी आमदनी कमाई है। उन्होंने बॉबी और मुस्कान प्रजातियों को लगाकर खेती की शुरुआत की और अब उन्हें बड़े पैमाने पर खरबूजे की खेती करने का मौका मिल रहा है। धर्मेंद्र को कृषि विभाग की योजनाओं से भी सब्सिडी मिल रही है और उनकी उम्मीद है कि इस बार बड़ा मुनाफा होगा।
