The Spice Research Centre of Bogura is working to reduce import dependence of spices by developing improved varieties of spice crops and expanding to the farmers’ level.
The import of spices was Tk 8,000 crore six years ago, but now it has come down to less than half due to the Spice Research Centre. It has been working to produce high quality varieties and seeds that are more productive in a short time to deal with the changing climate.
Sources said the Spice Research Centre, established in Shibganj upazila of Bogura in 1995 to reduce import dependence by increasing the production of spice related crops, started research activities from the following year. The country's only spice research centre under the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute has focused on multi-faceted innovation. For the first time in the country, they have succeeded in cultivating valuable crops like vanilla and ginger in sacks. Extension work is in progress at the farmer level by developing climate-friendly varieties of cumin. Besides, officials are researching the commercial production of saffron, black cardamom, pepper and other spices.
Experts expect improved new varieties developed in the research will increase spice production and productivity, reducing import dependency. Spice research is keeping pace with the world in the age of digitalisation. The research centre is conducting research on 46 indigenous and foreign spice crops.
Scientists of the country's only spice research centre have developed 57 varieties of 30 spice crops in three regional centres and sub-centres with relentless efforts. Of them, seven varieties of onion and improved varieties of cumin, pepper, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, black cumin, fenugreek, firingi, fennel, Alo Bokhara, cinnamon and chuijhal are being cultivated at the farmer level. Commercial cultivation of black cardamom and pepper and various spices, including ekangi, firingi, polao pata, lemongrass, mango ginger, kababchini, chives, allspice, curry leaves, paan bilas, clove, pistachio and jaiphal are under research while onion, green chilli and ginger-garlic powder have been developed. In the centre, 156 more advanced technologies, including production technology, soil and water management, insect and disease pest management, post-harvest technology, have been invented to increase production.
The latest prized spice crop, vanilla, has been successfully cultivated while researchers of the centre have come close to innovation of a variety. Success has also come in ginger cultivation in sacks while improved varieties of cumin are being developed and are being disseminated at the farmer level.
Nurul Islam, the agricultural entrepreneur of Gabtali, said the farmers will benefit from the cultivation of crops developed by the Spice Research Centre and the production of spice crops will increase. He has benefited by cultivating ginger in sacks and this year he has cultivated ginger in many sacks. He is constantly receiving advice and support from the Spice Research Centre.
Senior Scientific Officer of the Spice Research Centre of Bogura Dr Mahmudul Hasan Suja said they are working to increase the production of spices. The official said that research is going on in the cultivation of black cardamom, and if the hand pollination is successful, the cultivation will start.
Bogura’s Spice Research Centre Chief Scientific Officer Dr Md Zulfikar Hyder Pradhan said new varieties of spices are coming which are being cultivated at the farmer level. As the developed technology has increased the cultivation at the farmer level, the cost of import has decreased.
To meet the annual demand of 60.5 lakh tonnes of spices in the country, around 51 lakh tonnes of spices are currently being produced on 6.25 lakh hectares of land. He expects that if the cultivation of spices increases in the future, the cost of import will come down to zero.
