Arum cultivation gains popularity in Gaibandha

Published : 09 Jul 2016, 15:32

Jagoroniya Desk

Cultivation of Arum, a summer vegetable has gained much popularity among the farmers of Dhaperhat union under Sadullapur upazila of the district in recent years.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) source said over 200 hectares of arable and fallow land of the union have been brought under the cultivation of arum this year on commercial basis. 

As the variety grows well within 4 months and its production cost is cheaper than any other vegetables, the cultivation of arum has increased in the union two times than the previous year.

Earlier, the farmers of the union used to cultivate the variety in the fallow land in order to meet only the family consumption. 

Now, the farmers are cultivating it commercially like other cash crops on their arable land to earn profit on commercial basis. 

Abdus Samad, an arum cultivator of Khamarpara Village of the union, said different varieties of arum have been cultivated here in the current season.

The harvest of different varieties of arum started in the last month and the farmers were earning money by selling those in the local market as well as wholesale markets, he also said.

Another farmer of Hingarpara Village of the union Motaleb Miah said an arum cultivator could earn at least Taka 7,000 from a bigha of land against its production cost of Taka 1,500 only.

Additional Deputy Director (crops) of DAE Shawkat Osman said the cost for arum cultivation is very little as there is no necessity to use pesticides and organic fertilizers on the land like other vegetables.

Terming the arum cultivation as environment friendly he said the farmers of other unions under the upazila were also imparted training on arum cultivation to meet the growing demand of the vegetables.

Deputy Director of DAE AKM Ruhul Amin said he has asked all the Sub Assistant Agriculture Officers to motivate the farmers to cultivate different varieties of arum on fallow land to help the cultivators earn extra money.

Source: BSS

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