Cultivation of Mukhi Kachu as well Taro Arum, a variety of arum, is increasing gradually every year in four upazilas of Chuadanga.
Farmers of the district have taken it to cultivate as commercially for getting more profit than other crops in the period of April to July.
According to the sources of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), a total of 1474 hectares of land have been taken under Mukhikachu (arum) cultivation and production target has been fixed at 30,960 tons this year. About 198 hectares of land was brought under the variety in the district last year.
Mukhikachu will be sold at Tk. 90,83,89,350 after harvesting of total hectares of land in the district this year, sources added.
It is learnt, huge production of Mukhikochu are in the village of Bhangbaria, Chitla, Jehala, Boliarpur in Alamdanga upazila, Subdia, Khejurtola, Gaidghat, Dinnathpur, Sorojgonj, Sumirdia in Sadar upazila, Bishnopur, Karpashdanga, Baghadanga, Hogoldanga in Damurhuda upazila and Baka in Jibannagar uapazila.
Arum has become a popular vegetable and a cash crop in four upazilas of Chuadanga district. Farmers have now taken to its commercial farming. The cultivation is cheap and farmers earn can make considerable profits.
This arum is not needed using pesticide during the cultivation. So it is good for health. Four types of arum like panchamukhi, mukhi kachu, pani-kachu and BARI pani-kachu 1,2,3,4.
Mukhikachu has been cultivated in the areas of Bhangbaria. This variety has been planted in the middle of April. The harvest starts from last of July and continues to August, Mohosin Ali of village Bhangbaria in Alamdanga said.
Farmer Habibur Rahman of village Baghadanga in Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga district said he did not use pesticide and chemical fertilizers to grow arum. He produces mukhikachu in his field using cow dung as manure.
Lutfar Rahman, a vegetables cultivator of village Garabira in sadar upazila told the Bangladesh Post that wholesalers have started to buy one bigha of mukhikachu at tk. 60,000. Farmers spent tk. 20,000 per bigha at the village.
According to sources, the wholesalers are coming at Gangni, Bhangbaria, Hardi in Alamdanga upazila, Dingadah, Begumpur in Sadar upazila and Karpasdanga in Damurhuda upazila to purchase Mukhikachu.
After purchasing they have been loading trucks for sending to Dhaka, Chattogram and Khulna for sale. For this reason farmers are getting selling facilities and reasonable prices of the variety.
Umme Atika Mollik Akhi, Dietitian and Health Educator of Chuadanga Diabetic Hospital said consumption of Mukhikachu is helpful for curbing hypertension and overweight. It bears vitamin ABC.
Deputy Director Mohammad Ali Hasan told the Bangladesh Post over cell phone that cultivation of arum is gradually increasing every year in the district as farmers are becoming interested in its cultivation for getting more profit than other crops in the period.