Kathkachu farming bringing profit to farmers

Farmers in Bangladesh are pleased to be getting good yields and prices for kathkachu, a variety of taro root native to South Asia, as demand for the crop has risen this year.

Kathkachu is mainly grown across five northern districts, namely Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Gaibandha, in the greater Rangpur region.

Farmers say they are selling each piece of kathkachu directly from the field for between Tk 25 and Tk 35 depending on size and quality while it was Tk 15 to Tk 20 last year.

Vegetable traders from all over the country come to buy the crop, which was cultivated on 1,200 hectares of land in greater Rangpur this year compared to 1,100 hectares in 2022.

Farmers say they are selling each piece of kathkachu directly from the field for between Tk 25 and Tk 35 depending on size and quality while it was Tk 15 to Tk 20 last year.

Farmers can produce 4,500 to 5,000 pieces of kathkachu from each bigha of land at a cost of up to Tk 15,000.

With each kathkachu weighing roughly three to four kilogrammes, most of the crop is usually cultivated in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram.

Mobarak Hossain, a farmer based in the Mandolerhat area of ​​Lalmonirhat sadar upazila, said kathkachu is cultivated in low lying areas, where floodwater can accumulate.

"There is no damage to this crop in flood water," he added.

Hossain cultivated 15,000 pieces of kathkachu on three bighas of land this year at a cost of Tk 40,000.

He has already sold 6,000 thousand pieces of the vegetable for Tk 30 per piece.

"I'm being highly benefited by kathkachu farming this year," Hossain said.

Subhas Chandra Das, a farmer in Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram, said he has been farming kathkachu for the last 20 years.

Das cultivated kathkachu on eight bighas of land this year and already sold 15,000 pieces of the crop for Tk 30 per piece.

"We regularly eat this vegetable in our family as well," he added.

Nur Islam, a vegetable trader based at Kurigram Poura Market, said only poor people would buy kathkachu just a few years back but now, this item has become popular nationwide.

"The demand for kathkachu has increased compared to previous years," he added.

Hamidur Rahman, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Lalmonirhat, said the vegetable is cultivated in flood prone areas, where other crops do not fare well.

"And as the price of kathkachu has doubled or more, farmers' interest in growing the crop has increased too," he added.