Bihar Farmer Becomes 'Sethji' with Profitable Elephant Foot Yam Cultivation

• Kamalendu Jha, a farmer from Darbhanga, transformed his fortune by cultivating elephant foot yam (Ol/Jimmikand) on just 15 kathas of land.
• Elephant foot yam is a traditional and highly demanded vegetable in Bihar's Mithilanchal region, essential for Shraddh rituals and community feasts.
• The vegetable sells for ₹40/kg in season, with prices soaring to ₹70-₹80/kg during the off-season due to year-round demand.
• Known as 'vegetarian meat' for its texture, it's used to make dishes like pickles, chokha, and 'Jhamrua', and is also believed to have medicinal properties for ailments like hemorrhoids.
• Kamalendu's success highlights a direct farm-to-customer model, eliminating the need for extensive marketing.

Why It Matters: A Bihar farmer achieved significant success and profit by cultivating high-demand elephant foot yam.