BSS, Rangpur :
The government has fixed a target of producing over 24.11 lakh bales of jute from over 2.25 lakh hectares of land during the current season in the northern Bangladesh, officials sources said.
The farmers have been continuing sowing of jute seed in full swing everywhere and already completed the process of seed sowing on over 68,000 hectares of land till Wednesday, sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said.
The farmers will produce over 22.37 lakh bales of ‘Tosha’ variety jute fibre from over 2.05 lakh hectares land, 1.44 lakh bales of ‘Deshi’ variety fibre from 16,836 heaters and 30,228 bales of ‘Mechhta’ variety jute from 3,664 hectares land in the region this season.
According to the DAE sources, the farmers did not face any problem in procuring quality jute seeds as they got the same from the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), other organisations and dealers.
Talking to BSS, Horticulture specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said the farmers started sowing jute seed little lately for lack of adequate moisture for no rainfalls, but are expected now to complete the sowing process in the coming weeks.
Noted agriculture scientist and Associate Director-
Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia & Africa) Dr M A Mazid asked the farmer to complete sowing of jute seed by this month-end to get better production.
He suggested the farmers for using the Six Line Pick Up Jute Seeding Method to cultivate jute using only 2 kg seed per acre to save huge quantity of seed when they generally use 2.5 to 3.5 kg jute seed per acre land using the traditional method.
Dr Mazid put special emphasis on ensuring supply of quality jute seed to the farmers who have been showing more interests in jute farming as demand of the natural and eco-friendly fibre has been increasing very fast in the international markets.
Deputy Director of the DAE Feroz Ahmed said jute cultivation has got a special dimension after regaining its past glory following various time-befitting steps taken by the government like reopening of the closed jute mills increasing export of jute products.
