‘Kachurloti’ can be major forex earner

From The New Nation
The creepers of arum – kachurloti – could become one of the major foreign exchange earners as the product grown on a hectare spending Taka 75,000 could fetch nearly Taka 4 lakh.
Former deputy director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Md. Hashanur Rahman, told BSS that 15,000 farmers have been cultivating Taro, a type of kachurloti, in Panchbibi and Sadar upazilas in Joypurhat district for a long time and earning foreign exchange for the country by exporting their produce mainly to the United Kingdom.
“Farmers of the district, especially of Joypurhat Sadar and Panchbibi upazilas, have been cultivating kachurloti on 750 hectares of land to sell it in the local wholesale market in Bottoli area in Panchbibi upazila and earning a lot by investing a minimum amount,” he said.
About 28 wholesalers have been purchasing at least 100 metric tons of kachurloti from the local market every day to export those to several countries including the UK, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Malaysia and Kuwait, he added. According to the DAE, this agricultural product was first exported to Saudi Arabia in 2004 although the government is yet to take any initiative to patronize the local farmers to expand its production.
“More research is needed to make the product more attractive to the international community and create awareness among the farmers regarding proper application of fertilizer,” said Hashanur.
Per kilo (kg) kachurloti is being sold at Taka 18 to Taka 20 at the local market depending on quality. The season for cultivation and harvest of the product is four months that starts from May and continues up to August.
Md. Abul Kalam Mondal, deputy director DAE Joypurhat, told the news agency that the department has taken an initiative to improve production quality and facilitate cultivation technology.
Local farmer Sobhan said kachurloti cultivation is more profitable in comparison to other crops. “I earned a profit of Taka 50,000 cultivating kachurloti on my 33 decimals of land last year, whereas I earned a profit of Taka 5,000 only cultivating paddy in the same area of land,” he said.
He has been cultivating kachurloti commercially for the last six years. Local wholesaler agent Md. Abdur Rahim said he is exporting this non-traditional item for the last two years.

Courtesy of BSS, Dhaka