Arum farming on dried-up canal

Farmers in Faridpur Sadar upazila are opting for arum cultivation as it is more profitable than the other vegetable items.

This year, a number of farmers in Sadipur area of the upazila are cultivating arum, locally called pani kochu, on the dried-up Mandartola canal, which is originated from the Padma river in Sadipur area and falls in the Kumar river in Bakhunda area.

Cultivation of the nutritious vegetable sees gradual rise as it brings good profit for little production cost.

During a recent visit to Sadipur area this corresponded saw farmer Ohidul Sikdar, 46, along with a hired labourer was taking care of his arum field on one side of the dried-up.

Ohidul said, “Like me, at least 10 farmers of the area have been cultivating arum on the dried-up canal land.”

“I have planted 4,000 arum plants on 33 decimals of the canal land in front of my house this year, spending Tk 20,000 and expecting to earn Tk 1 lakh from it,” Ohidul said.

He has have been cultivating arum of the drier-up canal land for the last couple of years after he noticed that the land remains abandoned for most of the time of the year, he added.

Jamal Khan, 48, another farmer of the area, said usually arum is cultivated in early January and its harvest starts in mid-April.

Arum farming is much profitable as it requires low production cost, he said, adding that, they do not need to use any insecticides, but only some organic fertilisers.

Besides, very little labour is required to look after the arum plants and it remains safe as cattle do not eat it.

Another grower Farhad Hasan, 42, said last year he cultivated arum on 10 decimals of the canal land, spending Tk 5,000 and sold his produces for Tk 50,000.

‘’I have cultivated the same amount of land this year as well,’’ Farhad said.

Deputy Director (DD) of Faridpur Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Kartik Chandra Chakraborty said 260 hectares of land in nine upazilas of the district have been brought under arum cultivation this year.

They are expecting around 5,980 tonnes of arum production this year, the DD said.