Cumin ( Jira) is a spice made from the seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant. Cumin is a favourite spice for cooking many dishes, specially, in South East Asia, South West Asia and the Mediterranean. Cumin is distintive for its flavour and taste when added to the dishes. Its flavour has been described as earthy, nutty, spicy and warm.
Cumin is being cultivated experimentally, for the first time in Naogaon. Farmer Zahurul Haque of village Shiala under Raninagar upazila of Naogaon has cultivated Cumin on eight decimals of land this year.
Zahrul Islam said, finding the high-price of Cumin, he has been inspired to cultivate the spice. By watching the system of cultivating Cumin online, the collected 500 grams of Cumin seeds at a cost of Taka 1,200. Later, according to the suggestions of local Agriculture department officials, he sowed those Cumin seeds on eight decimals of land. Presently, flowers have emerged on some plants and some plants are already carrying the Cumin grains. He hoped to collect 10 to 12 kilogrammes of Cumin from the plants. The price of the collected Cumin would surpass Tk. 10,000 to 15,000. He thinks the Cumin cultivation would prove profitable.
He informed, due to rain fall, some Cumin plants were damaged but despite the damage he hoped to reap a good harvest. The Cumin plants grow well during winter, he said.
Local farmers said, this is for the first time they are watching Cumin plants on the land of Zahurul. The plants have grown smoothly and he is likely to earn a good profit from the harvest. They further said, they would also cultivate Cumin next time if the Department of Agriculture cooperate them. Additional Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department of Naogaon informed, Zahurul has experimentally cultivated Cumin as a new spice. Agriculture department officials were supervising the Cumin cultivation all the time. If he succeeds, we would inspire other farmers to cultivate Cumin. Cumin is still an import oriented spice in the country and a successful cultivation of the Cumin would gradullay wane the import of the spice from abroad.
