Rows of fruit shops line the roadside, with medium-sized, elongated watermelons piled up in front. The fruits have dark green stripes over a light green surface. Some have been cut open and wrapped in plastic, revealing bright red or yellow flesh. Although April and May are generally considered the peak watermelon season, red and yellow varieties are now appearing in Teknaf markets during autumn.

The off-season arrival of the fruits has drawn curious buyers to the shops. Many are particularly surprised to see yellow watermelons. Some ask about their taste, while others wonder how the fruits are being cultivated at this time of the year.

The scene can now be seen in several parts of Teknaf, including the bus station market, Shapla Chattar Zero Point, Oliabad School Field, Thana Mor, Upar Bazar, Lamar Bazar and the Upazila Parishad area.

Vendors said watermelons are selling for Tk 80 to Tk 120 per kilogram, depending on their size. A medium-sized watermelon costs around Tk 300 to Tk 400. They said both red and yellow varieties are sweet and delicious, although yellow watermelons are generally smaller.

According to the sellers, prices are relatively high because the fruits have arrived in the market off-season. Although buyers have shown interest, many are purchasing smaller quantities. Vendors hope sales will increase as temperatures rise.

Fruit sellers Nur Mohammad Badsha and Shamsuddin, who operate in the bus station area, said watermelon prices were currently somewhat high but might fall in the coming days, leading to increased sales.

According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, January to April is generally suitable for watermelon cultivation. For good yields, watermelon is usually cultivated in Bangladesh from mid-February to early April. However, summer watermelons are grown in Teknaf during June and July and harvested in August and September. Seeds for winter watermelons are sown in October and November, with the fruits available from December to February.

The agriculture office also said that watermelons were cultivated on 113 acres of land in Teknaf last year. The area under cultivation may increase this season. Demand for watermelons also rises as temperatures increase.

Mohammad Shafiul Alam Qutubi, an assistant agricultural officer of the upazila, said, “Not only watermelons, but various early-season fruits are now available in Teknaf. Watermelon cultivation is expanding due to strong demand. Yellow watermelons have also entered the market. Cultivation is concentrated in Saint Martin’s, Sabrang, Baharchhara, Teknaf Sadar, Hnila and Hwaikyang.”

Four Friends Launch Trellis Farming on Saline Land
Beyond selling watermelons in the market, Teknaf is also witnessing new possibilities in fruit production. Four friends are hoping to make a profit by growing watermelons using the trellis method on saline land near Hollywood Hill in the Razar Chhara area of Teknaf Sadar Union.

The four entrepreneurs are Shadat Kabir, Abdur Rahman, Mohiuddin and Mostak Mridha. Three of them are permanent residents of Razar Chhara in Teknaf Sadar, while Mostak Mridha is from Mymensingh.

The three local friends previously ran separate fish businesses. However, after failing to achieve the expected returns, they began looking for new opportunities. They eventually decided to cultivate watermelons, targeting the summer season and Ramadan.

Initially, they struggled to find suitable farmland. Much of the vacant land in the area was being used for salt production, raising doubts about the possibility of growing crops there. Following advice from agricultural officials, the four friends leased 14 kani of saline land and began cultivating watermelons and other fruits. According to local measurements, one kani is equivalent to 40 decimals.

The orchard, located in a scenic area surrounded by hills and the sea near Marine Drive, now produces watermelons, melons, papayas and tang fruits. Around 60 per cent of the total land is used for watermelon cultivation, 20 per cent for melons and the remaining 20 per cent for papayas and other fruits. Tang fruit is commonly known as passion fruit.

The four friends said they began trellis-based watermelon cultivation with advice from agricultural officials and assistance from an assistant agricultural officer. They have invested around Tk 1 million in the project so far.

They have already sold watermelons worth approximately Tk 100,000 from the field. Another Tk 400,000 to Tk 500,000 worth of watermelons are currently growing in the orchard. Overall, they expect to make a profit of at least Tk 600,000 from the project.

They have also hired eight workers on monthly salaries to maintain the farm. The entrepreneurs said melons, papayas and tang fruits had also produced good yields.

Watermelon grower Mostak Mridha said, “With advice from agricultural officials and the overall support of the assistant agricultural officer, we four friends started growing watermelons on trellises in saline soil. Although we had some doubts initially, we are now getting good yields. We have already started selling the watermelons. We hope to make a profit from this initiative. Seeing our success, other farmers may also become interested in watermelon cultivation.”

Mohammad Humayun Kabir, Teknaf Upazila Agriculture Officer, said, “To encourage farmers to grow watermelons using the trellis method, we have distributed seeds, fertilisers and pesticides free of cost. We are also providing farmers with necessary advice and support to expand the cultivation of new fruits in different parts of the upazila.”

With support from the agriculture department, growing demand for early-season fruits and new initiatives by local entrepreneurs, fruit cultivation is expanding in Teknaf. Those involved believe that trellis-based watermelon farming on saline land could open up new opportunities for local agriculture.