Watermelon In Pakistan Season Start

Traditionally, watermelon is produced in Pakistan from April to June. But growers say that, weather conditions permitting, they can also be produced in July. “For last three years when the holy months of Ramazan have been falling in late summer, growers in Sindh have resorted to late sowing of seeds, got watermelons till mid-July and marketed them in Ramazan to fetch fatter profits,” says a Gadap-based grower, who did the same last year.

He says that some big growers in Sindh and Punjab are now experimenting double-cultivation of watermelons this year. In cases where harvests are expected to be over by end of this month, growers are re-planting seeds to obtain the second crop of the fruit by the end of June. “More importantly a few are also experimenting with imported seeds.”
Coastal farmers grow melon in February and bring it to the market in April and May, to cater the demand during Ramazan.

Traditionally, there were two seasons for melon cultivation in Sindh; first February and the other September.

Elderly farmers believe that gone were the days when they used to preserve their indigenous seeds of melon, watermelon, apple gourd and other food crops for the year ahead.

Some aware farmers accuse seed manufacturing companies and dealers of providing adulterated seeds, which sometimes do not germinate or require more water and chemical input, increasing the cost of inputs.

Seed dealers inform farmers about the challenges of viral attacks at the time of sales, and also suggest particular pesticides for avoiding losses. This increases their per acre cultivation cost to Rs50,000-60,000 in normal season.