Home ›› 09 Aug 2021 ›› Nation
The Barura area of Cumilla has become a hub for arum lobe, locally known “kachur loti,” after earning over Tk 16.38 crore in the last fiscal year from exports to 25 countries across the world.
The vegetable is being exported through various agencies for the last 16 years. Most of the lobe produced in Barura ends up in Middle Eastern countries, including Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.
With the demand of the vegetable growing day-by-day across the world, the volume of arum lobe from the region has reached 1,000 tons per year.
Not only the lobe but also the arum is exported in these countries.
The latest export volume in 2020 was 975 tons. Of this, 490 tons were arum and 485 tons were lobe.
In 2015, 930 tons of arum and lobe produced in Barura were exported. Of this, 430 tons were arum and 450 tons were lobe. In 2016, total export was 945 tons. Of this, 470 tons are arum and 475 tons of lobe. In 2017, the total export was 935 tons. Of this, arum is 465 tons and lobe was 470 tons. In 2018, the total export was 945 tons. Of this, 470 tons were arum and 475 tons of lobe. In 2019, the total export was 965 tons. Of these, 485 tons were arum and 480 tons of lobe.
Meanwhile, about Tk 84.87 crore has been earned through arum and lobe export from 2015 to 2020.
Chittagong Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Exporters Association Vice-President Ismail Chowdhury Hanif said they have been exporting the lobe produced in Barua since 1995. Exports have been on a massive scale since 2010.
He, however, alleged that although they have been exporting the vegetables for many years, no one from agriculture department has contacted them.
“If the Department of Agriculture takes the initiative, we will be interested in buying products directly from the farmers,” he added.
When contacted, Barura Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohammad Nazrul Islam said they are trying to establish direct farmers’ relations with the exporters.
