A blue net fence surrounds the field, keeping unwanted insects at bay. Inside, bamboo structures support lush green vines, from which clusters of fresh bitter gourds hang.

At first glance, it looks like an ordinary vegetable field. But there is a crucial difference: no chemical pesticides are being used here.

In Dhalnagar village of Kumarkhali upazila, two farmers have ventured into chemical-free bitter gourd cultivation using the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) method for the first time in the area.

The harvest has been encouraging. The market, however, has not been as kind.

Farmers Dabir Uddin Farazi and Abdul Bari have cultivated “Alisa” variety bitter gourd on three bighas of land. In just 10 days, they have sold around 2,200 kilogrammes of the vegetable for Tk 65,000-70,000 at wholesale prices ranging from Tk 30 to Tk 55 per kilogramme.

If the weather remains favourable, they expect to harvest another 4,000 kilogrammes or more over the next one and a half months, potentially bringing in more than Tk 2.5 lakh.

Yet, despite producing what they describe as safer and healthier vegetables, the farmers are struggling to secure a premium price.

 “We spend more on GAP cultivation because we have to buy nets, traps and organic fertiliser. The yield is good and the vegetables are healthier, but buyers are still unwilling to pay more for chemical-free produce,” said Dabir Uddin.

More cost, little premium

A visit to the Dhalnagar field, around 37 kilometres from Kushtia town, reveals the extra effort involved.

The entire plot is surrounded by blue netting. Farmers have installed pheromone traps and used biological pesticides to control insects. Organic fertiliser has been applied to the soil.

One farmer tends the plants while another carefully picks the bitter gourds.

Dabir said he has spent around Tk 1.8 lakh on land preparation, seeds, materials and cultivation on the three bighas.

The farmers have already sold about 2,200kg of bitter gourd, earning Tk 65,000-70,000. If the weather remains favourable, Dabir expects another 4,400kg to be produced.

They dream of one day sending their chemical-free bitter gourds to major markets in Kushtia and Dhaka, where consumers will be able to identify the produce through proper labelling and farmers will receive a fair price.

“We want a separate corner for chemical-free vegetables in the markets. Then consumers will know what they are buying, and we will also get a fair price,” said Abdul Bari.

The farmers said they are not making a loss at present, but their profit is far lower than what their additional investment and labour deserve.

Last year around this time, bitter gourd sold for Tk 70-80 per kilogramme. This year, the wholesale price has fallen to Tk 35-55.

Farmers turning to modern methods

The trend is not limited to the two farmers.

According to Kumarkhali Upazila Agricultural Extension Office, bitter gourd has been cultivated on around 52 hectares across the upazila this year, including the three bighas under GAP cultivation.

The expected production is around 500 tonnes, with an estimated market value of more than Tk 1.5 crore.

Farmers are increasingly using modern and mulching methods to improve production.

In Dhalnagar, farmer Ujjal Chowdhury cultivates different crops on around five bighas. Last year, he grew bitter gourd on eight decimals of land, spending about Tk 12,000 and selling the produce for around Tk 60,000.

Encouraged by the returns, he expanded cultivation to 10 decimals this year. He has sold around 90kg over the past week.

“If I get a fair price, I will cultivate bitter gourd on more land next year,” he said.

Another farmer, Mohan Sheikh, cultivated bitter gourd using the mulching method on one bigha last year, spending around Tk 50,000.

This year, he opted for early cultivation on the same amount of land and spent around Tk 60,000. So far, he has sold bitter gourds worth around Tk 1.5 lakh.

He now wants to combine mulching with chemical-free cultivation next year if he receives agricultural incentives.

What GAP means

Good Agricultural Practices, or GAP, refers to environmentally friendly and economically viable farming methods aimed at producing safe and quality food while protecting soil health and maintaining ecological balance.

The approach also seeks to ensure safer working conditions for farmers and improve the prospects of exporting agricultural products to international markets.

Mulching, meanwhile, involves covering the soil around plants with materials such as straw, leaves, water hyacinth or plastic sheets.

The practice helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature, prevent erosion and improve soil conditions.

Farmer Abdul Majed of Jotmora village under Jaduboyra union has cultivated “Nabila” and “Alisa” varieties of bitter gourd on 20 decimals of land using modern methods.

He said fruiting began just 40 days after planting the seedlings. With an investment of Tk 35,000-40,000 per bigha, farmers can produce around 55-60 maunds of bitter gourd.

But here too, falling market prices have limited profits.

The market remains the weak link

The problem becomes clearer at Panty Tahabazar, where wholesale traders say prices have fallen sharply.

Milton Hossain, a wholesaler at the market, said bitter gourd was selling for Tk 55-60 per kilogramme about 20 days ago.

The wholesale price has now dropped to Tk 30-35.

More importantly, the market has no separate section for chemical-free vegetables.

This means farmers who invest more to produce safer vegetables have little opportunity to communicate that difference to consumers—or to charge accordingly.

Mohammad Biltu Hossain, an assistant agricultural officer at the upazila agriculture office, said farmers cultivated bitter gourd on three bighas using GAP methods this season, while mulching was used on the remaining plots.

Around 21 bighas of land in Dhalnagar alone have been brought under bitter gourd cultivation, he said, as farmers have found the method capable of generating higher returns in a relatively short period.

“Farmers would be encouraged to cultivate chemical-free vegetables if separate market corners were introduced,” he said.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Monir Hossain said around 52 hectares of land in Kumarkhali have been brought under bitter gourd cultivation this year, with a production target of 500 tonnes and an estimated market value of more than Tk 1.5 crore.

“GAP-produced vegetables are safe for consumers. We are providing training to farmers,” he said.

But production alone, he acknowledged, is not enough.

“There needs to be a separate marketing arrangement for these vegetables. We will propose establishing separate markets for chemical-free vegetables at the upazila level to the higher authorities,” he said.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farzana Akhtar said separate corners for chemical-free vegetables could be introduced in local markets once production reaches a significant scale.