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Arum farming gaining ground in Chuadanga


Published : 08 Oct 2022 09:11 PM

Arum farming (Elephant Foot Yam farming) has become popular in four upazilas of Chuadanga district for mitigating local demand as commercially under the initiative of educated un-employed youths and farmers. Besides rural women are empowering due to home-based EFY cultivation.   

The growers of Arum have been selling their produced crop to the businessmen at tk 1200 per mound. Wholesalers of different areas come to the Arum field for purchasing it. The growers are very satisfied for getting excellent prices of EFY from businessmen. Selling of produced Arum is going on with full swing. 

According to Chuadanga District Agriculture Extension Department, 19,700 metric tons of Arum are being expected to be produced on 788 hectares of land this season.  Upazila wise breaks up are-5,475 metric tons of Arum on 219 hectares of land in Sadar upazila, 6,700 metric tons on 268 hectares of land in Damurhuda upazila, 5,425 metric tons on 217 hectares of land in Alamdanga upazila and 2,100 metric tons on 84 hectares of land in Jibannagar upazila. About 2,000 educated youths and farmers have been cultivating Arum on the land in the district this year. 

Bayajid Joarder, an educated youth and farmer of village Khejura in Sadar upazila of the district said, he has sown 2,400 pieces of seeds of elephant foot yam on 1 bigha 10 kathas of land at his village on May this year and expected to produce 225 mounds of the vegetables valued Tk 2,70,000. His expenditure cost was estimated at Tk 30,000 but fertilizers and seeds were given him free of cost by the government as incentive. He is selling the produced at Tk 1200 per mound. His profit has been fixed at tk. 2,40,000. In the meantime he has sold 25 mounds of Arum. 

Jiaur Rahman Laltu, an educated grower of village Nabinnagar in sadar upazila of Chuadanga district started to cultivate elephant foot yam from 2013 but at present have cultivated this crop on 2 bighas 10 kathas of land at his village.  He expended tk. 75,000 for cultivation. About 350 mounds of EFY worth over tk. 4,20,000 will be sold and made profit at tk. 3,45,000 this season.  In the meantime, he has sold 30 mounds of Arum. 

Ekramul Hoque of village Bachamari in Alamdanga upazila of the district has taken under EFY on 2 bighas of land at village Bhangbaria in the upazila this season and started to sell it this month. 

It is learnt, each of the family of remote areas and villages like women sew the seedlings of elephant foot yam on fallow land of their home yards and near the homes for cultivation. It can be easily grown and does not require labors and investment as well. They are earning money by selling Arum after filling up the demand of family for that they are empowering. Now a days the farmers and educated youths have been turning the areas into elephant foot yam cultivation on the basis of commercial.  

The seeds of elephant foot yam are sown in the month of May. Six months after that means October the growers of elephant foot yam start to harvest this. Its production cost is lower than other vegetables cultivation, sources added. 

Arum is an excellent common vegetable. Everybody likes it. Day laborers and others, those who have no land for cultivation but they are owner a house on a piece of land, have been cultivating elephant foot yam on the premises of their homes and around of the houses for fulfilling curry demand. Dwellers of district and upazila town have been doing the same. 

Umme Atika Mollik Akhi, Nutritionist and Health Educator of Chuadanga Diabetic Hospital told the Bangladesh Post, EFY contains sufficient amount of calories, fat, carbs, protein, potassium, soluble fiber as well as nutrients like vitamin B6, vitamin B1, riboflavin, folic acid, niacin etc. Apart from this, nutrients like vitamin A, beta carotene are available which protect the body from diseases. 

She also stated, the benefits of Arum are- to reduce cholesterol, to lose over weight, to prevent cancer, beneficial for diabetic patients etc.  

Bevash Chandra Saha, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department (DAE) said, Authorities has been providing skill training with modern technology on Arum cultivation, fertilizers and other equipment under the project of Tuber Crop Development to ensure profit for the growers towards strengthening their socio-economic base. 

He also said, the fallow lands of home yard have been taken under Arum cultivation under the auspices of homemakers and women in the district, who are motivated by the officials of the department.