Arum, locally known as ‘Latiraj’, cultivation has brought fortune for many farmers in the district with its bumper production and high profit this season.
The good arum harvest has been attributed to suitable soil, favourable weather and necessary help from the local agriculture offices.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, 260 hectors of land were brought under arum cultivation this year in Osmanpur, Gobaria Abdullahpur, Chhaysuti, Faridpur, Ramdi and Salua unions of Kuliarchar upazila.
Kuliarchar Upazila Agriculture Officer Aminul Islam said: “The DAE office arranged training programme and carried out campaign for using organic fertiliser before arum cultivation.”
The cultivation of Latiraj variety is gaining popularity among the farmers as it is about five times more profitable than paddy farming.
As it requires little nursing, the risk of arum cultivation is also little. Even fertilisers are not necessary for its growth. So, farmers of six unions under the upazila are cultivating arum on a large scale because of high financial return from the crop, he says.
According to sources, the cultivation of arum is gaining popularity in the district as the farmers are getting fair price of their crop this year. A few years back, the supply of arum was scanty but now it is found aplenty in local markets.
Encouraged by the fair prices, the farmers are now cultivating arum on commercial basis. The soil of the region is suitable for arum cultivation, locals said.
Different varieties of arum are cultivated in the region including white and red colour. Almost all the varieties are grown in the water-logged areas. Rois Uddin, an arum grower at Salua village under Kuliarchar upazila said the cultivation had become very lucrative nowadays.
A farmer can earn at least Tk 50,000 by cultivating the vegetable on one bigha of land.
Another farmer Rabiul Islam of Gobaria Abdullahpur union of the upazila said: “ Latiraj variety of arum is cultivated in the first week of January and its harvesting starts in the middle of April that continue to December.”
“We get a good harvest of Latiraj spending only Tk200 on its cultivation,” he said, adding that a farmer gets 3-5 maunds of such vegetable from each decimal of land.
Farmer Abdur Rashid of Osmanpur village in the upazila said: “Farmers use only some organic fertiliser during arum cultivation and they do not need to use insecticides.”
Farmers face no problems in growing this vegetable. Cattle do not eat arum plants and labour is not required to look after it.
Rahat Mia, another arum cultivator from Chhaysuti union in the upazila said: “I have cultivated the vegetable on five bighas of land spending Tk22,000 this year. I have already earned Tk40,000 in the last two weeks and I hope I will earn profit at least Tk200,000 by December.”
At present 1Kg of Latiraj variety arum sells for Tk30-40 and per piece arum Tk30-50 at the local market and the price is expected much after two to three months.
This vegetable is in high demand as it is tastier and more nourishing than all other vegetables.
Dr Arshadul Islam of the Sadar upazila described arum as nourishing and tasty vegetable.
This vegetable works as a remedy for different diseases, especially diabetics, he claimed.
