Watermelon

Watermelons at Wiseghat

River vessels are bringing watermelons from Bangladesh’s southern districts to the fruit warehouses at the Wiseghat Dock in Old Dhaka every day. Traders buy them at wholesale prices. Buyers say the prices are reasonable at the moment.

Mustafapur warehouse full of watermelons

Mustafapur in Madaripur’s Sadar Upazila hosts a major wholesale watermelon market, where large volumes arrive during March and April and are sold either by the piece or by weight. Wholesalers from Madaripur and surrounding districts buy their supplies from this warehouse.

Watermelons reach Dhaka markets

Early-season watermelons have reached Dhaka markets, with Ramadan driving peak demand for the fruit grown in different regions of Bangladesh, including Patuakhali.

‘Off-season’ watermelon

Watermelon, the fruit that quenches thirst in summer, is available even in autumn. This fruit is being cultivated in fields across Patuakhali and Khulna. From there, it reaches Dhaka and other parts of the country. Although it is not the main season for the fruit, many are buying watermelons in the market. It is being sold wholesale at a rate of Tk 40 to Tk 60 per kg and retail at Tk 60 to Tk 80 per kg, depending on the quality.

Watermelon trade in full swing in Natore

Natore's Gurudaspur has seen a good harvest of watermelons this season. Even as the season winds down, the watermelon trade remains lively along both sides of the highway in Kachhikata and Manikpur. Freshly harvested watermelons are being sold wholesale for just Tk 20 to Tk 30 apiece. These melons are being transported to markets across the country.

Watermelons pour into Waisghat

Watermelons are pouring into Old Dhaka’s Waisghat from the southern districts of Bangladesh on different vessels every day. Retailers then buy them at wholesale rates. The prices of the juicy summer fruits are quite high at retail due to the March heat and Ramadan.

Watermelons arrive early

With the arrival of Phalgun, the Bengali month signalling the transition to spring, the first watermelons of the season have begun appearing in markets across Bangladesh. Due to favourable weather conditions, farmers in Jaflong and Gowainghat Upazilas of Sylhet have seen a bountiful harvest. As a result, these juicy summer fruits are reaching the market earlier than usual, with wholesale prices ranging from Tk 2,000 to Tk 35,000 per hundred, depending on size and quality.

Watermelons at Wiseghat