Farmers are becoming increasingly interested in cultivating arum in all upazilas of Satkhira since it has turned out to be more profitable than any other seasonal crop.
Farmers can make a profit of Tk70,000 to Tk80,000 by cultivating arum on one bigha of land.
Farmer Abdur Rashid of Shahapur village of Tala upazila said he had been cultivating arum for the last seven or eight years. He cultivated the crop on nearly 2.5 bighas of land this year, reports UNB.
It costs a total of Tk16,000 to Tk18,000 to cultivate arum on each bigha, producing 90 to 95 maunds of arum.
He is expecting to earn at least Tk90,000 by selling arum.Currently, the wholesale price of arum is Tk1000 to Tk1,080 per maund.
He also said he would be able to market his produce in the next 15 to 20 days.
Farmer Abdul Jabbar of Betla village of the sadar upazila said last year he had cultivated arum on one bigha of land but this year he had cultivated it on 1.5 bighas.
He further said this year 80 to 85 maunds of arum would be produced on each bigha of land and he has so far sold 65 maunds of arum.
Jabbar said so far he had sold arum worth Tk70,000 and hoped to sell more of the crop, worth Tk65,000 to Tk70,000.
He added he would make a profit of Tk100,000 to Tk110,000 after recovering the production cost.
General Secretary of Sultanpur Bara Bazar Raw Goods Trader Association Rowshan Ali said the summer vegetable arum was in high demand in the markets.
Presently, the wholesale price of one maund of arum is Tk1,000 toTk1,100.
During this Ramadan, the price may increase, he hoped.
Sources at the local Department of Agriculture Extension said arum was cultivated extensively in all the seven upazilas of Satkhira this season.
Of the upazilas, arum was cultivated more in Tala, Sadar and Kolaroa upazilas.
Satkhira DAE Deputy Director Solaiman Ali said as a summer vegetable, arum was very profitable.
He added that no other vegetable could give such a high quantity of yield in such a short time.
Above all, its cultivation involves no risk, he noted.
