We can compete with them in terms of yield, but if you farm during the off season, by the time we are harvesting, they have already harvested, and there would be no competition,” he advised. “When Arewa farmers are harvesting, there would be gloat in the market and price would crash. We can’t compete with Arewa farmers in watermelon farming because they harvest hundreds of trailers. “The best time to plant is dry season if there is a source of water supply. It can even give you more than six bulbs. “That one hectare with 1,000 seedlings can give you 6,000 bulbs when each seed produces average of six bulbs, and If you sell each bulb at N500, that is N3 million, so it is a profitable business. It is when they are creeping and not disturbed by weed that they produce better. But 1,000 or 1,500 seeds per hectare is better so that it will have enough space to creep. “On one hectare, which is about 10,000 square meters, you can plant 1,000, 1,500 or a maximum of 2,000. Usiagu advised that in planting, farmers should give space, like a foot or foot and half because watermelon is a creeping plant and the more it has space to creep, the more it produces many bulbs. Ploughing breaks the soil while harrowing is to smoothen it, but if you can’t do the two, you can plough and begin planting,” he said. “A first time watermelon farmer should acquire a land, clear it, and in preparation, one can plough and harrow. A well drained soil is best for watermelon. “So, make sure you plant in a soil that drains water rather than the one retaining water because the plant can take the water and it will evaporate, but if you plant in water log or clay soil, the watermelon will not do well. You must plant hybrid seeds for better yield. “It is better to start small so that you don’t suffer heavy loss. He said the reason to start with small acres was to enable the farmer manage it because of pests. “Last year, I cultivated 15 hectares but herdsmen ravaged the farm with cows, and over N3 million was wasted, so anybody coming for the first time can start with one acre, which can still give a substantial profit,” he said. He said a first timer should start small because of the attendant challenges and risks involved, noting, “It can make a farmer rich and also make him or her poor. “If farmers plant during the peak of the rainy season, it will not do well because it doesn’t require too much water like cucumber and other crops one can plant any time of the rainy season,” he said. “That is why we plant in March when the rain is starting and November when the rain is going. How Zaria PHCs operate in unsecured environment Over 200, 000 Niger farmers to benefit from Tinubu Agro-Commodity programme
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