English
বাংলা
The story
Kochur loti are the long, slender runners that a taro plant sends out across wet ground. Most taro is grown for its corm or leaves, but the latiraj variety of pani kachu, released by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, was selected for its stolons: it throws out many long, thick, tender runners that can be picked again and again over the growing months. Farmers in Joypurhat took to it early, and the crop has since changed the economy of the district, especially in Panchbibi upazila, where loti grows in fields that once carried only paddy.
Joypurhat's district administration has made latiraj kachu, alongside its Sonali chickens, part of the district's brand. The agriculture department puts the area under the crop at well over a thousand hectares. The wholesale loti market at Botoli in Panchbibi is described as the biggest in northern Bangladesh, and on a busy day thousands of maunds change hands there before the bundles are trucked to Dhaka, Chattogram and other cities. Exporters also process and ship latiraj loti to the Middle East and South-East Asia.
The Joypurhat deputy commissioner applied for Geographical Indication status in March 2017, and after a long process the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks registered Joypurhat's latiraj kachu as a GI product, registration number 63. The tag protects the regional name; it does not inspect or certify individual farmers or shops.
How to spot the real Joypurhat latiraj loti
Fresh latiraj loti is long, straight and even in thickness, roughly as thick as a pencil or a little more, with smooth, firm skin that is green, often tinged purple or reddish near the base. A piece should snap cleanly when bent, and the cut end should be moist and pale, not brown or dried out. Avoid bundles that look limp, wrinkled, slimy or have blackened ends, which means they were picked several days ago or kept wet in heat. Very thin, short or fibrous runners may be from a different taro variety or from the end of a plant's productive life. Latiraj loti is said to cause less itching in the throat than many other kinds, but any loti can itch if undercooked; that comes from natural crystals in the plant, not from adulteration. Nothing on the loti itself proves it came from Joypurhat, so ask.
Buying tips
Ask the seller which upazila the loti comes from, when it was picked and how it will be packed. Loti wilts within a few days, so it should be picked shortly before dispatch, tied in bundles, and wrapped to stay cool and slightly moist without sitting in water. If a long journey is involved, ask whether the seller can send it the same day it is cut, or whether they offer cleaned, cut and frozen loti instead.
On Midmart each shop decides and charges its own delivery fee, so buying loti from one shop and dried fish from another means two separate charges. Midmart does not take payment or deliver orders; you agree the payment method and courier directly with the seller. A shop that writes Joypurhat on its listing is making a claim, not showing a certificate, so check the details before you confirm.
Keeping it fresh
Loti is best cooked within a day or two. Wrap the bundle loosely in newspaper or a slightly damp cloth and keep it in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. To keep it longer, wash, cut into finger-length pieces, blanch briefly and freeze. Cook loti thoroughly, and a little tamarind, lemon or tomato in the curry helps against any itchiness.
Find Joypurhat latiraj loti on Midmart
Shops from where it is made
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