Perilla farming pays off in Khulna

KHULNA Nov 05: Farming of SAU Perilla-1 (an edible oil seed) has yielded a remarkable success in Khulna district.

Two farmers of Dumuria upazila have achieved success by cultivating Perilla for the first time.

The Department of Agricultural Extension, Khulna is encouraging farmers to cultivate Perilla to produce high quality edible oil from its seeds.

After receiving training from the Upazila Agriculture Office, Mehedi Hasan Bablu and Sheikh Monjur of Chugnagar village under Dumuria have started its farming on two bighas of land collecting seeds from an agriculture officer.

They hope to get a good yield. As it is one of the unique crops in the country's south-western region, many are showing interest to cultivate it.

Dumuria Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Mosaddek Hossen said, Perilla is an oil crop, whose scientific name is Perilla Frutescence. It has originated from China. As new edible oil, an experiment is being done on its role in Bangladesh.

Perilla leaf is consumed as vegetable, and its oil is extracted from its seed. Its leaf is used in different restaurants. Farmed locally, it will assist the local economy to grow.

Besides, it is possible to produce honey commercially from Perilla fields.

Production of this crop requires comparatively less water.

As a result, it saves irrigation cost. The Agriculture Department has achieved success in cultivating (SAU Perilla-1) experimentally on saline fallow land, he added.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, Khulna, Perilla is a crop of edible oil variety, and its 65 per cent are omega and fatty acid.

Its unsaturated fatty acid is very useful for human body. Especially, it is beneficial for heart, brain, skin and diabetes.

It is possible to cultivate on the four-farming crop land as Perilla's longevity is 95 to 105 days.

Each flower of the plant contains 150 to 200 seeds. It gives higher amount of oil than other oil plants.

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