Golden Treats from Borkhola: A Farmer’s Juicy Innovation with Yellow Watermelons

Watermelons are perfect to cool us inside out during this scorching heat of Grishma Kaal or summer. However, if the usual red juicy watermelons don’t excite you anymore, how about trying a golden one? You heard it right. A farmer from Borkhola has grown watermelons with yellow flesh that shine like gold. They are sweet, juicy, and a refreshing treat in this blazing heat.

In the small village of Purandarpur under Chechri Gaon Panchayat in the Borkhola constituency, Dhananjay Das – a farmer and a true innovator – has successfully grown around 12.5 quintals of yellow watermelons this season. He is selling them directly from his home at just Rs. 20 per kg. And all of this started as a simple experiment.

Speaking to Barak Bulletin, Dhananjay shared that he wanted to test whether he could grow watermelons after his usual rice and vegetable farming. “I wanted to experiment,” he said. “After growing potatoes and green beans, I thought of trying watermelons. I also wanted to take a step further and grow yellow ones instead of the usual red.” He bought the seeds online and received guidance from Krishi Vigyan Kendra and the Agriculture Department. However, he made it clear that this was entirely his own initiative.

The risk he took wasn’t just for himself. His true aim was to inspire and help fellow farmers in the valley. “I took the risk with the sole motivation to help out my fellow farmers,” he said. “Our valley has a big market. A large number of watermelons are imported from outside. If we grow them here, our farmers can benefit a lot. I believe our farmers can earn crores of rupees in just a few months if they tap into this opportunity.”

And the results have been encouraging. “I harvested about 12.5 quintals of these yellow watermelons and sold around 10 quintals,” he explained. “I invested around Rs. 8,000 and earned about Rs. 25,000. After deducting the cost, I made a profit of around Rs. 17,000.” He added that although he fixed the price at Rs. 20 per kg, he often earns around Rs. 17–18 per kg on average, as he does not charge people for a few extra grams.

The Agriculture Department also played a small but important role by providing mulching paper. Mulching paper is used in farming to protect the soil and crops from excess rain and heat. It helps preserve moisture, prevents the washing away of fertiliser, and improves overall crop health. For farmers like Dhananjay, this has been helpful in keeping the watermelons safe during unpredictable weather.

Yellow watermelons are not very common, but they are naturally grown varieties. Their yellow colour comes from the presence of beta-carotene, the same antioxidant found in carrots. These melons are sweet, juicy, and offer the same cooling effect as red ones. Some even say they have a honey-like taste. Besides red and yellow, watermelons also come in orange and white varieties. Dhananjay hopes to try growing watermelons of other colours in the future too.

Sharing his journey, Dhananjay said, “I’ve been into farming for around 20 years. For the past three years, I’ve been growing these yellow watermelons, and they give me better profit than my usual crops. But rice is our staple food, and we must grow it during the rice season. Without rice, what will we eat?”

Dhananjay didn’t just grow a new kind of fruit—he planted hope. With a strong will to help his fellow farmers and tap into the growing watermelon market of Barak Valley, he took a bold risk. His success proves that with vision and courage, even a small village farmer can lead the way for change. His yellow watermelons shine as a symbol of what belief and hard work can achieve.