RAJSHAHI, Aug 28 (BSS): Cultivation of arum has brought smiles on the faces of farmers in Rajshahi region including its vast Barind tract as they are getting good profit by cultivating it on their lands.
Number of the vegetable farmer and acreage is gradually increasing everywhere in the region in the wake of its gradually increasing demand and lucrative market price.
Locally known as 'Latiraj', arum is a favourite vegetable to many people. Arum cultivation has brought fortune for many farmers in the region with its bumper production and high profit this season.
Monirul Islam, 43, an arum farmer of Bidirpur village of Godagari upazila, said he has cultivated arum of the mukhi variety on five bighas of raised land and expecting bumper production. He planted the arum seed in the third week of January and began harvesting in the third week of July.
Golam Mourtoza of Parila under Paba upazila said he cultivated Taro Arum (Mukhi Kachu or Boi Kachu) and achieved an excellent yield of the crop this season. He said adding that a farmer can get two to three maunds of Taro Arum from each decimal of land.
"Latiraj variety of arum is plated early January. The harvest starts in mid-April and the yield continues for eight months till mid-December. A farmer gets three to five maunds of yield from each decimal of land," said Jahid Hossain, arum grower at Duary village of Paba upazila.
"Over 500 hectares of land for MukhiKachu and over 150 hectares for PaniKachu have been used for cultivation of arum in the district this year. We advise farmers to cultivate Pani Kachu in marshlands where other crops do not grow well. Arum cultivation is increasing here every year, and farmers are becoming self-reliant," said Ali.
At present 1.0 kg of Latiraj is selling at Tk 30 to Tk 35 in the local market and the price is expected to double after two to three months. This vegetable is in high demand as it is tastier and more nourishing than all other vegetables.
The good arum harvest has been attributed to suitable soil, favourable weather and necessary help from the local agriculture offices. A section of farmers in the region have started growing arum commercially as it has become a profitable crop and cultivation costs are low.
The farmers are now cultivating arum on commercial basis. Different varieties of arum are cultivated in the region. Almost all the varieties are grown in the water-logged areas.
Dev Dulal Dhali, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said arum is an environment-friendly, poison-free and nourishing crop. The agriculture department has been advising farmers on cultivating arum of the high yield variety."
SM Mustafizur Rahman, additional director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), said, the farmers of the region are expected to grow huge quantity of arum and other vegetables this year as they prefer cultivating vegetables to other crops.
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