UNB, Sylhet :
The farmers of Biswanath upazila have achieved a big success in coriander farming, generating employment for many in the region.
Ever since its introduction, its trend has been upwards, thanks to its high market value and significant profit margin.
Among spices, coriander is considered to be culinary herb. In Bangla it is known as ‘dhania’ or more specifically ‘bandhula’ among the locals.
Coriander is being cultivatedon about eight acares of land in different villages under Alankari Union, including Munsirgao, Manukopa, Palgao and Betsandi. The success in its cultivation has brought self-sufficiency among many poor families, prompting many to think big. Visiting different areas, the UNB correspondent found that the farmers were busy attending the corianders, collecting leaves and planting coriander seeds.
Abul Kalam, a coriander farmer in Munsirgao, said he could not go beyond the 10thgrade in school, neither could he try his luck by going abroad.
But after witnessing several coriander farmers in his village, he tried doing the same and has not looked back since then.
He said that it takes Tk 70,000 annually as coriander farming expenses. After selling them, his profit margin ends up at a hefty amount of Tk 1.1 lakh.
Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, another farmer in the region, said the seed beds need to be prepared within the Bengali month of Falgun, after which the seeds are planted by Chaitra-Baishakh period.
After 15-20 days of plantation, they need to be sold off, he added. Approximately Tk 6,000 worth of coriander can be sold a day. It remains in high demand due to its necessity while preparing salads and curries.
They usually sell them at Sobhani Ghat wholesale market in the town, earning between Tk 1.5-2 lakh a year.
Women are used to collect coriander leaves, who also earn Tk 300 a day in the process, earning an additional Tk 10 per stick of compiling bundles of a hundred leaves together.
Agriculture officer of Biswanath upazila Ramzan Ali said coriander farming has ensured profits for many farmers in the region.
He added that by cultivating coriander it can change the fortune of many families for the better. They will provide necessary support and logistics for anyone interested in the region to do so.
Its farming does not require much space as can be done even by women in abandoned places of a house.
