Coriander cultivation is gaining popularity among farmers in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) as it has become profitable because of low production cost and easy farming methods

Ethnic farmers in Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts are cultivating coriander, locally known as "bilati dhonia", and earning handsome amount of money, sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said.

In Rangamati, coriander

is grown on a large scale in Wagga, Betbunia, Ghagra, Kawkhali and Sadar upazila. Commercial cultivation of coriander started in hills about ten years ago, and it can be grown in plain, slope and even in high land.

Coriander cultivation does not entail huge cost, but it requires proper nursing, said AjitTangchangya, a farmer in Sakkrachhari village in Wagga.

He also said that it is more profitable than many other crops. By cultivating coriander a farmer can earn profit several times higher than that of paddy, he added.

Farmers cultivate coriander in January and harvest it within four months. They harvest coriander leaves three to four times from a single farm. Coriander leaves are in high demand in local markets. A kg of leave is sold atTk 80-120.

"I gotTk 2 lakh by selling coriander leaves last year. Hopefully, I will get more than Tk 3 lakh this season," farmer Ajit said.

Md Altabur Rahman, deputy director of DAE in Rangamati, said they encourage farmers to cultivate coriander as it is more profitable than others crops.