In recent years, Khulna’s traditional spice, chui jhal, has been gaining remarkable popularity bringing new opportunities for locals.
According to agronomists, the botanical name of chui jhal is Piper chaba. Chui plants resemble betel leaf vines.
Its roots and stems are cut into pieces and used in cooking. Chui jhal, which tastes salty, is widely known as a spice in the southwesterndistricts, namely Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Jessore, and Narail.
Abu Zafar, a farmer from Srirampur village under Naihati Union in Rupsa Upazila of Khulna district, has achieved notable success by cultivating chui jhal in his mahogany orchard beside his home.
Along with growing various other crops, he has been cultivating the spice for nearly 20 years. He has planted chui jhal vines on about fifty mahogany trees.
The farmer said that depending on the size, a single chui jhal plant can b sold for between Tk5,000 and Tk30,000. The plants become ready for sale within two to three years of planting.
Buyers from different areas of Khulna and Rupsa frequently visit Zafar's orchard to purchase the spice. Although the profit is moderate, he says he never faces losses.
Local chui jhal growers said that the plants sometimes die due to heavy rains and other environmental reasons. However, with proper care, chui jhal can yield more than other crops.
It does not require any pesticides, though the use of organic fertilizer is necessary when the plants weaken. This helps maintain the quality of the chui jhal, according to local farmers.
Farmer Atiar Rahman of Mechoghona village, said one can start earning from chui jhal farming a year after planting, and it is possible to generate up to Tk4 lakh annually within three to four years if the crop is grown on only two to three decimals of land.
Hundreds of farmers, including educated students, are cultivating chui jhal in Dumuria and elsewhere in the Khulna agriculture zone.
Small and large chui jhal nurseries have sprung up in many villages of Khulna. Farmers from other districts are also showing interest in cultivating it and are sourcing saplings from farmers based in Khulna.
Nabodeep Mallick passed his SSC in 2003 but could not move forward. In 2005, he started working in a private company. The company closed down in 2007. He became depressed about his jobless life.
In 2014, he focused on agriculture. He started his journey with 10 Chui Jhal seedlings. Currently, Chui Jhal seedlings are produced on 30 acres of his land. His project has now provided employment to 6 people. Nabodeep supplies Chui Jhal seedlings across the country. His average income is Tk1 lakh per month.
Dumuria Upazila Agriculture Officer Md Insad Ibn Amin remarked that the stem or creeper of the chui jhal plant is used as a spice. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) is actively promoting its cultivation in Dumuria.
In the Khulna region, chui jhal is used in cooking meat, enhancing flavor without harming health. It improves the taste of curries and carries medicinal properties in its roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits.
According to the agricultural department, chui jhal is being cultivated on 130 hectares of land in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, and Narail, which collectively produce 374 tons of the spice annually.
Over 4,000 farmers are involved in its cultivation in the four districts.
Taking advantage of its popularity, many restaurants have sprung up in and outside the southwestern city. Food lovers from different parts of Khulna and other parts of the country flock to these restaurants to taste dishes prepared with chui jhal.
Abbas Hotel, located in the Chuknagar area of Khulna city, is known for its mutton dish prepared with chui jhal. More than 150 restaurants in the city center also feature dishes based on this spice.
Chui cuttings can be planted on higher ground. The months of Baishakh-Jaistha and Ashwin-Kartik are the best time for planting.
Chui jhal is sold at Tk500 to Tk1,600 per kilogram. The lower part of the plant is the most expensive, while stems and leaves are also sold at good prices.
DAE Khulna region's Additional Director Md Rafiqul Islam said: "Chui jhal is a potential agricultural product in the south and southwest of the country. Demand is increasing day by day due to its medicinal properties."
