Home ›› 27 Oct 2021 ›› Nation
Farmers of Panchagarh district are showing interest in commercially growing SAU Perilla-1 – an oilseed of South Korean variety known also as Golden Perilla – motivated by its high sales value and export potential.
For the first time in Bangladesh, farmer Syed Rokonuzzaman cultivated the Perilla variety on 12 bighas land in Haradighi Kazi Para village under Panchagarh’s Tentulia upazila.
Speaking to The Business Post, Rokon said, “I had received the seeds from the agriculture office under a collaboration project of DAE. I started cultivating Perilla experimentally, but the yield has been fairly good.
“I spent Tk 60,000 on my 12 bighas of land, and expect a return of Tk 3,00,000 from sales.”
Perilla oil contains 75 per cent Omega-3 fatty acids which are beneficial for the heart. It is enriched with high value nutrients, and 91 per cent of its fat is unsaturated. The oil enhances immunity, regulates high blood pressure and is beneficial for the eyes as well, says a recent study.
Prof of the Department of Agronomy at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University HM Tariq Hossain, with a team of researchers, developed the variety to make it suitable for local weather conditions, says the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Panchagarh.
Agriculture Officer Mohammad Abdul Qayum Majumder was also involved in the research process. After successful research, the SAU Perilla-1 was registered by the Bangladesh Seed Board in January last year.
The variety was approved for field level cultivation around August 2021. Subsequently, the SAU Perilla-1 saw success in its experimental cultivation on 105-bigha of land around the country, DAE sources said.
Suitable for Bangladesh’s climate, the crop can also be cultivated in hilly areas. Farmers can cultivate Perilla in mango, lemon and orange orchards as well. In Bangladesh, all conventional oilseeds are cultivated in the winter, but Perilla grows in the summer.
It takes 110 days for Perilla to be ready for harvest, researchers from the DAE said.
The oil extraction process from Perilla seeds is similar to that of mustard. The seed offers around 40 per cent of oil, while mustard seeds offer 40 per cent – 42 per cent. Perilla leaf can be consumed as a vegetable, and is used in different restaurants, farmer Rokon added.
Quoting data from the DAE, Rokon said each Perilla flower contains 150 to 200 seeds. Since the Perilla plant’s longevity is only 95 to 105 days, it can be grown on the same land four times a year.
Perilla oil is very popular in Korea, Japan and China, and the oilseed is cultivated in Asian countries such as South Korea, Japan, China, Nepal, Vietnam and some parts of India. For its high nutritional value, local affluent families import this oil from South Korea at a high price.
If it can be cultivated commercially in the country, it could be a massive source of export earnings, said DAE officials of the district, adding that farmers are getting interested in Perilla farming as it promises good returns.
Mizanur Rahman, deputy director of Panchagarh DAE, said the country imports around 20 to 22 lakh metric tonnes of edible oil a year.
“If we can encourage more farmers to take up Perilla farming, we can not only become self-sufficient in edible oil production, but can boost our export earnings too,” he added.
