Gobindaganj (Gaibandha) Correspondent

For the first time in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha, the experimental cultivation of the spice crop cumin has started.

As a result of the spice improvement and technology extension project, the spice crop cumin was cultivated experimentally on 10th century land in the form of a demonstration plot in Bara Satal Batail village of Khalsi and Phulbari union of the upazila municipality.

Ezbar Ali Akand of Bara Satail-Batail village of Phulbari Union said that he cultivates cumin seeds under the supervision of local agriculture department with special training at Bogra Masala Research Institute. I got good success in its cultivation by following the rules of irrigation, fertilizer application and proper care in the 10th century land. If I had known earlier, I would have cultivated cumin on more land. But next year I will cultivate cumin in more land.

Farmers in these areas who have received special training on cumin cultivation have also been very successful in experimental cumin cultivation. Impressed by the various kinds of cooperation of the agriculture department and happy with the yield of cumin, many farmers have expressed their desire to expand cumin cultivation commercially in the future.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Syed Reza-e-Mahmud said that the soil of Gobindaganj upazila is very rich and the farmers of this area are very experienced in cultivating different types of crops over time. Among them, cumin cultivation has been started experimentally at the farmer level as a spice crop under the spice improvement and technology expansion project. For the first time, the Agriculture Department is providing round-the-clock advice and technical assistance in cumin cultivation.

He also said that cumin cultivation has been good. We are hoping that the farmer can get 4 to 5 kg of cumin seeds from the 10th century land.

Due to market value and demand of cumin, this cultivation will attract potential and unemployed youth. He believes that this will provide employment to the unemployed youth, as well as reduce the import dependence of cumin and reduce foreign exchange expenditure.

Apart from this, since the soil and climate of this area are suitable for cumin cultivation, he said that in the future, initiatives should be taken to expand cumin cultivation commercially at the farmer level.