March 29, 2024, 7:14 pm


Abu Taher Bappa

Published:
2020-10-09 01:50:39 BdST

Commercial aromatic rice farming shows bright prospects


Lucrative price, low production cost and higher demand of aromatic rice in local and overseas markets are drawing much attention of farmers to cultivate the crop commercially in many parts across the country.

Prices of aromatic rice are much higher than that of regular rice verities in the country.

Its prices range between Tk90 and Tk120 per kg while prices of the regular varieties range between Tk45 and Tk60 per kg in country.

Commercial cultivation of aromatic rice has already gained popularity in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagar, Rangpur, Naogaon and Rajshahi districts.

Five varieties of aromatic rice, including Kalizira, Chiniatab and Chinigura are popular in the country.

Currently, 37 varieties of aromatic rice are being cultivated in the country.

Farmers get 12 to 15 mounds yield per bigha of land on an average. So, the farmers are benefitting from growing the crop commercially.

The prospect of producing more export-quality aromatic rice in the northern region is very bright, said Shahjahan Kabir, DG of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).

Very smelly varieties of aromatic are chinigura, kalijira, kataribhog, tulshimala, badshavog, khaskhani, bashful, durbashail, begun bichi, kalpakhri etc. Medium smelly varieties are punia, kamini soru, jiravog, chin chail, sadagura, modhumadhob, gobindovog, dudhshail etc.

BRRI also invent eight aromatic rice varieties. Those are BR-5 (dulavog), BRRI dhan-34, BRRI dhan- 37, BRRI dhan- 38, BRRI dhan- 70, BRRI dhan- 75, BRRI dhan-80 and BRRI dhan- 50 (banglamoti).

Aman and Aush seasons are the times to cultivate the crop. Fragrances of this rice stay upto eight months from its harvest.

Aromatic rice is used to make different mouthwatering food usually cooked to host guests and celebrate festivals.

The rice is in great demand in Europe, America and Middle East. It is being exported to 136 countries in the world, said BRRI DG.

Bangladesh produces around 17.80 lakh tonnes of aromatic rice per year while around 15,000 tonnes are being exported, he said.

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