BSS: Cultivation of arum has brought smiles on the faces of farmers in Rajshahi region including its vast Barind tract as they are getting good profit by cultivating it on their lands.
Number of the vegetable farmer and acreage is gradually increasing everywhere in the region in the wake of its gradually increasing demand and lucrative market price, reports BSS. Locally known as ‘Latiraj’, arum is a favorite vegetable to many people.
Arum cultivation has brought fortune for many farmers in the region with its bumper production and high profit this season. Monirul Islam, 43, an arum farmer of Bidirpur village of Godagari upazila, said he has cultivated arum of the mukhi variety on five bighas of raised land and expecting bumper production.
He planted the arum seed in the third week of January and began harvesting in the third week of July. He said the variety grows well on land with good drainage.
“I am a vegetable farmer, but I have been cultivating arum for some years and getting better profits at lower costs”, said Islam. Golam Mourtoza of Parila under Paba upazila said he cultivated Taro Arum (MukhiKachu or BoiKachu) and achieved an excellent yield of the crop this season. He adding that, a farmer can get 2-3 maunds of Taro Arum from each decimal of land. “Latiraj variety of arum is plated early January.

The harvest starts in mid-April and the yield continues for eight months till mid-December. A farmer gets 3 to 5 maunds of yield from each decimal of land,” said Jahid Hossain, arum grower at Duary village of Pabaupazila. “Over 500 hectares of land for MukhiKachu and over 150 hectares for PaniKachu have been used for cultivation of arum in the district this year.

We advise farmers to cultivate Pani Kachu in marshlands where other crops do not grow well. Arum cultivation is increasing here every year, and farmers are becoming self-reliant,” said Ali. At present 1Kg of Latiraj variety arum sells for Taka 30-35 at the local market and the price is expected to double after two to three months.