Cultivation of Chia seed is gaining ground in Rajshahi, Magura and Lalmonirhat districts due to its name as a super food, nutrition values, easy cultivation method, high yield and low production cost.
Experimental farming of the crop which is highly rich in fibre and nutrients is underway
in some other districts.
However, lack of marketing facilities seems to be the key problem for the farmers.
If proper marketing process can be ensured, experts think that the farmers can earn more from production of the healthy seed.
Furthermore, the crop can be exported within a few years if it is cultivated commercially in the country.
Our correspondent from Rajshahi reports: After a fairly good success in its test farming, farmers in the district are now cultivating Chia seed in the district as their regular source of income.
In 2021, two farmers named Sujan Ali and Amzad Hossain of Bagha upazila of Rajshahi cultivated Chia seed experimentally for the first time on five decimals of land.
At the beginning, they got a good yield and profit at minimal cost. Afterwards, other farmers also became interested and cultivation of the crop gradually increased all over Rajshahi.
Price and demand of Chia seed are high; so Sujan Ali and Amzad cultivated the crop this year for the third time in a row.
According to them, cultivation of the crop is very easy for which no pesticides are needed.
Apart from these, only 300 grams of seed are required for one bigha of land; but the yield is at least 70 kg.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Rajshahi, 3.29 tonnes of Chia seed was produced on seven hectares of land in the year 2022 and eight tonnes on 13.5 hectares of land in 2023 in different areas of Rajshahi.
The crop was cultivated on 7.3 hectares of land in Bagha upazila, three hectares of land in Tanor upazila, two hectares of land in Charghat upazila, one hectare of land in Bagmara upazila and 0.2 hectare of land in other areas of the district.
Chia seed which is a species of mint and full of nutrients grows well in sandy loam soil.
Chia seeds are to be sown from mid-November till the first week of December. The crop can be harvested between the end of March and April. It is good to use organic fertilisers to get a better yield. The yield is 70 to 80 kg per bigha of land at a cost of Tk3,000 to Tk4,000 while the price per kg is Tk800 to Tk1,000.
Kamrul Islam, agricultural officer, Metropolitan Agricultural Office, Boalia, said, "The cost of cultivation is low and the market price is high, so many farmers are interested in cultivating this crop."
He also said, "However, due to lack of marketing facilities, the farmers are not able to make the expected profit; although a campaign is underway online."
Bagha Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiullah Sultan said, "Selling Chia seed after production is a big challenge for farmers. To resolve this crisis, either import should be stopped or duty should be increased."
"The large companies must purchase Chia seed directly from farmers. Then the demand of the crop locally produced will increase. If the demand increases, production will also increase," he added.
Our Magura correspondent says: Like elsewhere in the region, farmers in the district are cultivating Chia seed increasingly after a remarkable success in its experimental farming.
Regional Spice Research Center, Magura sources informed this year 14 farmers cultivated Chia seed in the district.
Akkash Ali, a farmer with disability of Nalidanga village under Magura sadar upazial, is the pioneer in cultivating Chia seed in the district. He has achieved outstanding success in farming of the crop.
Contacted, Akash Ali said, "Last year I cultivated Chia seed on one bigha land. I got about two maunds of Chia seed from my field. My income from Chia seed was Tk80,000 while the production cost was only Tk10,000."
"I was overwhelmed with such a profit. Being inspired with my success 14 farmers in my village cultivated Chia seed this year. Moreover, at least 100 farmers in the district have already collected Chia seed from me."
Chia seed is a short-duration crop. It takes only 90 to 100 days for production. The crop is less vulnerable to insects. Besides, use of fertiliser in Chia seed fields is scantily needed."
When contacted, DAE official Humyan Kabir said, "We have achieved outstanding success in producing Chia seed in Magura. It requires less irrigation compared to paddy and many other crops. So we can reduce use of underground water by expanding Chia seed cultivation."
Dr Abdullahel Kafi, associate professor of Magura Medical College, said, "Chia seed is enriched with anti-oxidants, magnesium, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C and E. The food boosts up immunity in human body. Moreover, it helps meet hemoglobin deficiency and check high blood pressure."
Abu Jafar Muhammad Obaidullah, scientific officer of the Regional Spice Research Center, Magura, said, "In the meantime, we have become successful in producing Chia seeds. Moreover, farmers are finding Chia seed cultivation lucrative due to its low production cost and high market price. So through expansion of Chia seed farming we can earn foreign currencies in future if proper plan is adopted right now."
Our correspondent from Lalmonirhat adds: Chia seed farming has received a boost in the district as a good number of farmers have been cultivating the crop in its five upazilas for the past three years.
The commercial cultivation of the seed has raised new hopes among the farmers as it is highly profitable.
According to the DAE, Lalmonirhat, the soil of the northern region is suitable for Chia seed farming. Chia seeds are to be sown in the Bengali months of Kartik and Agrahayan (October-Novembar).
Jahedul Islam, a farmer of Hatibandha upazila of the district, said that he has been cultivating Chia seed for the past three years. First he cultivated the seed in 2021 with assistance from the agriculture department. Earlier, he did not know the name of the crop.
He first knew about it from the DAE, Lalmonirhat and was inspired by the then deputy director of the DAE Mamun Ashraf.
Dr Bimol Chandra Roy, ex-principal of Rangpur Medical College and Hospital, said day by day the number of Chia seed users is increasing in urban areas. I'm also taking Chia seed every day and I have got some benefits from it."
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