Farming Melons Amid Limitations

Limitations are not to be cried over, because the shortfalls always carry a hidden boon for people. Qomaruzzaman, 30, who became melon farmer six years ago, believes in this principle.

KOMPAS/ADI SUCIPTO KISSWARA

Qomaruzzaman

Limitations are not to be cried over, because the shortfalls always carry a hidden boon for people. Qomaruzzaman, 30, a resident of Sendangharjo, Brondong district, Lamongan regency, East Java, who became melon farmer six years ago, believes in this principle.

Qomaruzzaman is a picture of resilience. Although he was born without arms, he never asks for anyone’s mercy or pity. He is a true manifestation of perseverance, and has worked hard to be a farmer.

Six years ago, the man known as Qomar has been growing yellow melons, or the golden Apollo variety. This year, he planted 3,500 seeds. Watering and pruning are part of Qomar’s daily activities.

The youngest of five children is able to weigh the melons using his feet. “A melon is like a baby. If you want good growth, they must be cared for,” he said in April, when he was interviewed in a hut near his farm.

Before turning to melon cultivation, Qomar had seen difficult and bitter experiences. When he was a child, he often faced harassment for not having arms, which made him tough. He often became the object of peer bullying. Once, he was annoyed because other children watched him while he was bathing. In fact, his condition should not be the butt of a joke. When he was in senior high school, he refused to enroll at a school for the disabled, as not having arms was not a limitation for him.

When he was at Madrasah Tsanawiyah junior high school and Madrasah Ibtidaiyah elementary school, he wrote using his foot.

Qomar once helped tend his neighbors’ cattle. He was tasked to feed and water the cattle. He once also worked shucking corn and hurt his feet. He also farmed 3,000 ducks for 1.5 years. “I went bankrupt and lost Rp 5 million,” he said.

Yet, Qomar did not give up and grew corn until he was rewarded for his patience. He finally chose to grow melon. “My brother, all have hidayah [guidance]. So, please don’t be afraid. Do not expect anyone’s mercy. You must work and pray. If we work hard, God will provide us with food,” he said in Javanese.

Melon

In Sendangharjo, Qomar is one of the pioneers of cultivating yellow melon. The price of yellow melon is double that of green melon. Today, there are eight farmers growing yellow melon, including his brother Muhammad Zuhdi. Qomar got help from a relative, Ikhsan Nur Rohman,

Qomar tries to maintain the quality of his melon. Each plant should only produce one fruit to grow fruit of maximum size. “This has a sweetness level of 8. Ideally, the level should be 10 to 12. It will take another week until it is perfect,” he said, offering a melon to taste.

Although the price of golden melon at a fruit shop or supermarket is Rp 15,000 per kilogram, it is Rp 9,000 per kg if it is bought directly from the farmer.

“Being a farmer is just the same [as any other crop], the trader [middleman] is the one who reaps the profit. There is a saying that if you want to be rich, you should become a trader. If you want to be prosperous, you should become a farmer,” said the son of Maji and Khamimah.

He then rented a 500-square-meter plot for five years at a price of Rp 16 million. In the first year, he grew 4,000 plants. He spent Rp 25 million and earned Rp 22.5 million. “The first capital was big, because he needed bamboo to support the plant. It can be used for three or four plantings,” he said.

Today, growing melon is profitable. He divides the harvest into three categories, A, B and C, and finally krel. The price of melon varies from Rp 3,500 to Rp 9,000 per kg, depending on its quality.

Qomar said the melon he was planting consisted of 70 percent of the A class, 15 percent B class and 10 percent C class and 5 percent krel. He estimated he could harvest 4.5 tons of fruit from 3,500 plants and total earnings of Rp 35.47 million. His net profit would be around Rp 10 million, or Rp 3.5 million per month, assuming a harvest every 90 days. If the price of each melon was Rp 10,000, his profits would be higher.

One planting season, Qomar suffered a big loss, earning only Rp 3.3 million from an initial capital of Rp 28 million. “It was because of the extreme weather, virus and pests. I was still lucky. There were [neighbors who earned] nothing,” he recalled.

Qomar took out a microcredit of Rp 25 million for fattening cattle in anticipation of low melon prices.

Life spirit

Qomaruzzaman has a strong life spirit. He has unceasingly taken care of his melon “babies” for the past six year. He still dreams of one day having a hand tractor to cultivate his land. If he could realize this dream, it would save Rp 8,000 per plant in production cost. It costs Rp 400,000 per day to rent a tractor, which is too expensive in addition to the cost of 500 kg of fertilizer. Meanwhile, melon seeds cost Rp 500,000 for each pack of 500 seeds.

Tending melon plants requires patience. The seed is planted in a separate seeding area. After six days, the seedlings are moved to cultivated land. Melon plants will produce flowers and fruits after 34 days. One plant should only produce one fruit, so that it can grow big. The flowers that emerge after the first bloom are plucked. “If we allow a plant to produce two fruits, the fruit will be small,” he said.

While awaiting the growth of his melon, Qomar would “siwil”, or prune the plant. His mother Khamimah brought him a pair of scissor pruning and a scale to weigh each melon. If it does not rain, he waters the plant twice a day. He also rinses the growing fruit using a hose that he sticks between his toes.

His daily routine consists of planting, tending, pruning, watering, weighing and harvesting melon. His brother Ikhsan is tasked with weeding the land and sprinkling pesticides to tackle pest.

That is Qomaruzzaman. He is a portrait of the importance of thanking God. He shows that life must go on, and not being idle or giving in to conditions. He is a life force and an example of resilience and patience.

Qomaruzzaman

Birthplace: Lamongan, 1988

Father: Maji, 58

Mother: Khamimah

Education: MI Sendangharjo; MTs Sendangharjo

Siblings: Siti Suwati Nikmah; Umu Rohaniyah; Ikhsanur Rohman; Muhammad Zuhdi

Occupation: Melon farmer