Farmers in all nine upazilas of Pabna district are becoming more interested in cultivating black cumin (a spice and herbal remedy that comes from the seeds of the Nigella sativa plant) finding it to be a profitable concern for its relatively higher cost-effectiveness than other crops.
Insiders said on higher profitability and due to sincere efforts, cooperation and advice of the local Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) office, black cumin cultivation is expanding day by day in entire Pabna district.
The DAE, Pabna sources said if the current market price continues, it is expected that there will be an income of Tk207.5 million (Tk 20.75 crore) from cumin seed production in Pabna this year, a figure much higher than the past.
Especially, the soil of Atgharia upazila in the district is very suitable and fertile for black cumin, so farming of the spice-cum-herbal medicine is increasing day by day here, said agriculture officials.
Cumin seed, which is substantially profitable, has brought smiles to the faces of the farmers of Atgharia upazila. Farmers here are very interested in producing this spice crop as it offers high profit at low cost. Black cumin is now considered as ‘black gold’ to them.
This year, black cumin has been cultivated on a larger area of land than the target in the upazila.
During a recent visit, it was seen that black cumin was cultivated in a good number fields at Ovirampur village in the upazila.
Black cumin plants look very much like coriander saplings. The field remains filled with white flowers. Bees go humming in the fields while beekeepers remain busy collecting honey.
Farmer Mahtab Uddin of Atgharia municipality area told The FE that weather is favourable this year, so he is dreaming of a bumper harvest of the crop.
“Five to six maunds of black cumin are produced per bigha. I have cultivated it on one bigha of land, and I hope to get a good harvest,” he said.
Another farmer, Jamirul Islam, said, “With free supply of fertiliser and seeds from the Upazila Agriculture Office and the advice and cooperation of field workers, I have cultivated black cumin on two bighas of land this year. My hope for success in this regard is very high.”
Farmer Dulal Mridha, who received the National Farmers’ Medal, told the FE that the total cost of cultivating black cumin on his land was Tk25,000. If there is no problem and the market price is fair, he hopes to sell black cumin worth Tk 0.1 million.
Farmer Amirul Islam farmers are becoming more interested in black cumin cultivation day by day due to the high profit at low cost. It is expected that black cumin cultivation will increase twice the amount of land in the future.
Famers’ sources said currently, black cumin is being sold for Tk450 to Tk 500 per kilogram. Accordingly, officials estimated that black cumin worth Tk207.5 million (Tk 20.75 crore) will be produced in Pabna district this year.
Atgharia Upazila Deputy Assistant Agriculture Officer Jahidul Haque said that the soil of this upazila is very suitable for black cumin cultivation. Farmers are motivated to cultivate spice crops in training at different times.
Atgharia Upazila Agriculture Officer Sajeeb Al Maruf told TheFE, “This year, black cumin has been cultivated on a total of 121 hectares of land in the upazila. And the production target has been set at 145.20 tonnes. With the overall cooperation and advice of our scientific officers, the cultivation of black cumin, known as black gold, is increasing in the fertile soil of Atgharia.”
Dr Jamal Uddin, deputy director of the DAE, Pabna, told The Financial Express, “This year 3.32 tonnes of seeds have been supplied to Pabna district as per the demand of the black cumin farmers. Black cumin has been cultivated on 415 hectares of land in nine upazilas of Pabna this year and 498 tonnes are expected to be produced at 1.20 tonnes per hectare.”
“Farmers are getting encouragement in cultivation due to the round-the-clock supervision and sincerity of our agricultural department’s scientific officers and field-level agricultural officers; so cultivation of this spice is expanding every year.”
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