In what is described as the worst harvest to date, farmers of Berti in Zhemgang are disappointed with the dwindling yield of watermelon, one of the main sources of income for them, for the last five years. The farmers say the yield has decreased by almost 80 per cent compared to the past years. The farmers attribute the poor harvest in part to changing weather conditions.
“The yield this time is much lesser than the previous years. We can hardly recover the power cutter fees from the sale of watermelon let alone labour cost and other expenses. We are not sure how the weather will turn out as we have enough irrigation water nearby and the fruits have started drying and we don’t see pest inside,” said Namgay, a farmer in Berti.
“All the watermelons have begun to dry up from the roots. The crop in about five acres of land is completely burnt. We’re pretty disappointed in the crop this time. The yield is discouraging despite working tirelessly,” added Dawa Dema.
The decline in the yield this year has not only affected individuals and groups cultivating watermelon in Berti but it is also a cause of worry for the members of Khen-rig-namsum cooperative- the produce broker.
According to agricultural officials, Berti has always had the potential to grow any kind of agricultural crops owing to favourable climatic condition and landscape. The officials said the problem this time could be because of a lack of proper cropping pattern among the farmers. They said the farmers didn’t practice crop rotation and have cultivated watermelon on the same plot of land for about four years. They also suspect insect and pest infestation. Therefore, the Gewog RNR Centre is planning to implement a complete treatment from next year, starting with the seedling.
Despite the low yield this time, farmers have cultivated watermelon on an increased area of 20 acres in the hope of earning better income like in the past. Farmers of Berti began cultivating watermelon in 2017.
Pema Samdrup
