Kaun rice on the brink of extinction in Chandpur

Farmers blame lack of govt initiative for the decline in cultivation of the once-popular crop

OUR CORRESPONDENT | Published: July 09, 2026 21:52:15

CHANDPUR, July 09: Kaun rice, once a popular crop and main food-item for the poorer people in many a place in Chandpur district, is not being cultivated anywhere in the district for the past few years.
Cultivation of the crop, which is set to disappear from sight, appears almost on the verge of extinction.
Many farmers blame the lack of government initiative to motivate farmers to cultivate the once-popular rice on a large scale. At present, the rice is seldom seen in the rural crop fields too.
Only a few farmers grow the rice on limited amount of land to cater to personal needs in Bakhorpur under Chandpur sadar upazila.
Wajiullah Mia, a retired agriculture officer, said Kaun rice was cultivated many years ago in the vast areas of Haimchar, Chandpur Sadar, Matlab Uttar and Matlab Dakhshin upazilas. But for lack of initiative in the government or non-government sector, it is no longer seen in the crop fields anywhere in these upazilas. Once Kaun was the main food item for survival of the poorer masses in the district.
It was then cheaper than the common rice varieties and helped remove hunger. Until a few years ago, the crop was cultivated privately on about 10-15 hectares of char land in Sadar, Haimchar, Kachua and Matlab Uttar upazilas.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, Chandpur, there is almost no cultivation target set for this crop in the district. That is why the farmers are neither feeling any urge nor getting any interest to grow it.
Rather, they prefer to grow paddy, potato , jute, maize, sugarcanes, lentils and vegetables and raise domestic animals for living by selling them in local haats and bazars.
Agri experts Mobarak Hossain, A Mannan and another expert of DAE, Chandpur echoed the same opinion saying in the past, Kaun was cultivated in the vast char areas of above mentioned four upazilas.
Kaun plants were then seen in the wetlands and big crop fields dancing with air presenting a good scenic beauty. It was impressive to all. But those days are gone by. They are now sweet memories only.
Kaun has now become a most preferred food for pet birds. Some pet bird traders in Chandpur district town buy Kaun as food for birds.
An experienced bird trader, Ashish Lodh said Kaun has become a food item for his birds in cages like myna, pigeon, kakatua, parrot, quail, etc. He and others said they have to buy Kaun as food item at Tk200-240 per kg.
A nutritionist Prof Hafeza Mujib says, "Consumption of Kaun is good for health. It is nutritious too. But it is gradually going out of sight."
A few elderly people said they once used to take it as cakes, payesh , feerni, moaa, mixed with coconut.
It was delicious to take. But gradually, it has disappeared from the list of food items or snacks. Agriculture experts Mobarak Hossain, Abdul Mannan, Naresh Das said Kaun is usually cultivated in March and it is harvested in July-August. Seeds trader Abdul Huque said in Chandpur, Kaun is imported by them. Some other traders also import it from outside districts-Shariotpur, Munshiganj and Cumilla.
One Shahidullah Miaji (58), a small trader of Roghunathpur village under Chandpur Sadar, sells Kaun sitting under a banyan tree adjacent to the Chandpur Court Railway Station. He said his cousin Ashraf Mia also sells Kaun in front of District Shilpokola Academy on J M Sengupta Road in the town.
Talking to the FE, Shahidullah said, he along with his cousin usually brings Kaun from Chattogram and hilly areas where it is widely cultivated and available in plenty, adding he sells it in the town for survival.
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