BSS, Rajshahi :
Farmers are happy as they are getting satisfactory yield and market price of jute everywhere in the region during the current season.
Rafiqul Islam, 45, a resident of Devipur village under Durgapur upazila in the district, has harvested around 12 mounds of jute fibre from two bigha of land.
In the initial stage, he sold his products at Tk 3,200 per mounds in local markets, saying the current price is higher compared to the previous seasons.
Apart from this, he got jute sticks worth around Taka 6,000 from the farming.
Bazler Rahman, 38, another farmer of Roipara village under the same upazila,has sold his jute at Taka 3,000 per mound, saying the return has mitigated all his sufferings and financial crises faced before the selling. Rahman said many of the enthusiastic farmers were seen humming towards the Durgapur and Taherpur markets with dry jute riding on trolleys and human haulers.
He, however, said the jute fiber is being sold at Taka 2,800 per mound during the last couple of days.
Like them, many other farmers expressed their happiness over the expected yield and price.
Meanwhile, harvesting of jute is progressing fast everywhere in all eight districts under Rajshahi division in the current season with a prediction of better yield amid the present favorable climatic condition.
Currently, most of the growers along with their family members are very much engaged in harvesting, decomposing, segregating and transporting for selling of jute, generating seasonal job opportunities for many people, including the marginalized and ethnic minorities.
Jute farming has exceeded target this season as interest among the growers to the cash crop farming is seen increasing everywhere in the division including its vast Barind tract. Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has set a target of producing around 14.53 lakh bales of jute from 2.22 lakh hectares of land in the division during the current season.
Target has been set to produce 5.60 lakh bales of jute from 48,827 hectares of land in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Natore districts under Rajshahi Agricultural Zone, while 8.93 lakh bales from 77,986 hectares of land in Bogura, Joypurhat, Pabna and Sirajganj districts under Bogura Agricultural Zone.
Bhuapur (Tangail) Correspondent adds: The farmers of Bhuapur upazila of Tangail district has achieved bumper yield jute because of favorable weather and suitable soil .
However, due to lack of rain in this year, they are facing problems in jute retting. Extra money and efforts had to be spent for retting jute arranging water through motor pump using electricity and diesel but the farmers in areas are happy for getting fair price of jute in local markets.
Farmers who have come to sell jute in the Gobindashi Jute Market of the upazila, said that the price of jute is now good as to our expectations. So, thay are very pleased. Though there was an uncertainty of bumper yield due to shortage of water in different parts of the upazila but the farmers have cut jute and kept it in rivers, canals, and ponds with a view to retting it. Visiting different ground, it has been seen that men and women participate in the work of removing fiber from jute. Some of them are now spending busy time with removing the scales, drying it in the sun and selling it in local bazar. Local said, Jute has been cultivated this year in more lands than the target ranging 4 and a half thousand hectares of land.
Due to low rainfall at the beginning of cultivation, agronomy started a bit late in many places but the yield has been good finally that makes local farmers very happy.
Visiting various bazars of the upazila, it is noticed that currently the price of good quality jute is Tk 3,500 and the price of low quality jute is Tk 3, 200 .
For getting the fair price, interest in jute cultivation is increasing among the marginal farmers of the areas radically.
Rabiul Islam, wholesale buyers of jute from Rangpur district who was buying jute at Gobindashi market said that the jute market is much better this year than other years. One maund of good jute is being sold between Tk 3,500 to Tk 3,200. Farmers are happy to get satisfactory prices even though they are facing problems in retting jute due to scanty of water.
Abdus Samad, a farmer of Gabsara union of the upazila, said that he was worried about the jute as there was no rain at the beginning of the season, but the yield has been good due to the sudden rainfall at the end of monsoon. He also added, this time he has cultivated jute on 5 bigha of land, because the price of jute is satisfactory in the market, he will cultivating jute on more lands in next year.
In this regard, Humayun Kabir, upazila Agriculture Officer said that jute has been planted on total 4 thousand and 5 hundred hectares of land in the upazila this season. Compared to last year, there has been an increase in jute cultivation including the Char areas of Jamuna river. We provided free fertilizers and seeds along with various advices to the farmers to upsurge jute production on behalf of agriculture office. Humayun Kabir also said, our Assistant Agricultural Officers visited the field on regular basis and gave jute cultivation related necessary suggestions to the farmers. As the price of jute is good in this year, I am hopeful that jute will be planted in more lands of the upazila in future, he added.
