Bogra farmers expect good yield of Iranian cumin

BOGRA, Mar 05: The cultivators of Iranian cumin of Sherpur upazila in the district are expecting a good yield and fair market prices this season.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office source, over 15 hectares of land had been brought under the farming of the latest variety of cumin last year on experiment basis and the farmers achieved heavy output.
This year, over 20 hectares of land have been brought under the cultivation of the spice with the production target of 8.0 tonnes, DAE added.
SM Abid Hasan Sumon, a pioneer of Iranian cumin cultivation of Sharif Shughat village, said he had started growing the crop with seeds brought from Iran with the help of his relative in November last year. That time he cultivated cumin in 0.33 acre of land spending Tk 45,000 and made a profit of Tk 0.1 million.
"The farmers have shown immense interest in Iranian cumin cultivation this season due to its high market rate", said Badsha Pramanik, a marginal farmer. He said, "I sowed 700 gm seed three months ago, according to the suggestion of the DAE officials. The flowers are now in full bloom and the cumin can be harvested in the last week of March."
"Many farmers of the area have started farming cumin instead of paddy or vegetables due to good yield and lucrative market prices", said Ajit Kumar Das, a farmer of Jholagatti village.
Abdul Jabbar, another farmer, said cumin farming is profitable. Per kg cumin was sold at Tk 10,000 to Tk 12,000 last year, he added.
Deputy Director of DAE, Bogra, Md Abdur Rahim said the cumin grows within 120 days and it is different from the local ones being invented by the Bogra Spices Research Centre.
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