Farmers here, especially the landless and the marginal ones, are becoming self-reliant by producing arum-lobe on crop lands in Dumuria upazila of the district. Since the remote places of the upazila, so the growers carry the produce by engine-run vehicles and sell those at different markets of the district. Once arum-lobe had no market value, but now the situation becomes totally different since per kg is now selling at Tk 35 to 40 in local markets.
Farmers of Sajiara village, Thukra, Araji, Sholua, Amvita, Voratia and Tipna produce arum-lobe which is of better quality than that of other areas. They cultivate it during the beginning of the Bengali month Chaitra and harvest during late Ashar. Hyacinth and organic fertilisers are good for its better production. From each hectare, around four or five tonnes of arum-lobe is available, informed concerned sources.
Around 20 to 25 hectares of lands under the upazila have been brought under arum-lobe cultivation this year, the sources confirmed.
Moniruzzaman Shuvo, 26, a student of post graduate of History department of Govt BL College in Khulna, hailed from Sajiara village under Dumuria upazila said, “Farmers have been cultivating arum-lobe for long, but due to low price, they were not much interested.
Currently, the farmers are cultivating arum-lobe extensively since they are now getting fair prices. The production cost of per maund arum-lobe is around Tk 800, while the same is sold at Tk 1200 to 1300 in local markets.”
He further said, “Many families cook arum-lobe with shrimp or fish and serve the dish to guests. The arum-lobe which is produced here is mostly sent to Rajshahi and Dhaka division and other big cities after meeting local demands.”
“My hardship began at the age of 12 when outlawed men gun down my father in 2002. I along with my mother was compelled to leave the village and returned after few years when Awami League came to state power,” he said in grieved voice.
Later, I started arum-lobe farming after Aman paddy harvesting in my father’s one bigha of land. I could not succeed at the begging of my hardship, but after getting training from local agriculture office, I have started to see profit.
Now, I earned profit over Tk3 lac in every year through cultivating arum-lobe and Tk 2 lac by farming other crops at my own one bigha land and 18 bigha lease lands.
Sureshwar Mallick, residence at Thukra village under the same upazila said, “The farmers are doing brisk business by cultivating arum-lobe. So, its cultivation is increasing day by day.
“If government provides support, its cultivation may increase contributing to the country’s economy,” he said.
An officer of the Department of Agriculture Extension of Dumuria upazila Md Mosaddek Hossain told BSS, “The arum-lobe cultivation is spreading fast here.
During the previous five years its cultivation was not remarkable, but this season hundreds farmers of Dumuria upazila have been brought their lands under the arum-lobe cultivation. Our agriculture officers are providing advices to the farmers. We are ready to provide all kinds of support if necessary.”
(BSS)
