Pumpkin farming turns a tool of poverty reduction

Our Correspondent

NILPHAMARI, Jun 14: Pumpkin cultivation is providing valuable opportunity for the farmers in eradication of poverty in the char (shoal) areas of Teesta river of Dimla Upazila and other areas of Nilphamari district.

Sources said pumpkin is being cultivated in the sandy areas of different chars of the region. Thousands of poor people are engaged in cultivating the vegetable.

It takes nearly four months after plantation to bear pumpkin. Pumpkins of the char areas are big in size each one comprising three to four kgs in weight.

Some NGO's including CARE and JSKS are actively co-operating the poor farmers by providing financial and technological support in producing the crop.