BSS, Rangpur :
The farmers are happy getting excellent market price of newly harvested jute as harvesting of the fibre crop is nearing completion with better yield rate in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said farmers completed harvesting jute on 45,018 hectares of land producing over 5.16-lakh bales of jute with an average yield rate of 11.47 bales per hectare by Wednesday.
The farmers have cultivated jute on 49,792 hectares of land this season when the recent floods damaged standing jute crop on 4,618 hectares of land causing production loss of 50,630 bales of the fibre crop worth Taka 24.02 crore in the region.
“Earlier, the DAE had fixed a target of producing over 6.77-lakh bales of jute fibre from 58,250 hectares of land for the region this season,” said Horticulture Specialist of DAE at its regional office Agriculturist Khondker mMd. Mesbahul Islam.
However, farmers had finally cultivated the crop on 49,792 hectares of land, less by 8,458 hectares of land or 14.52 percent than the fixed farming target, this season in the region.
“After damages caused by floods, standing jute crop on 45,174 hectares of land remained unhurt for harvesting in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts of the region this season,’ Islam said.
The farmers already completed harvesting ‘Tosha’ variety of jute on 40,795 hectares of land to produce 4.754-lakh bales of the fibre crop and local variety on 6,089 hectares to produce 33,556 bales of jute by Wednesday.
“Besides, they harvested ‘Mechta’ variety of jute on 186 heaters to produce 1,486 bales and Kenaf variety of jute on 510 hectares to produce 6,464 bales of the fibre in the region,’ Islam added.
District Marketing Officer for Rangpur Agriculturist ASM Hassan Sarwar said farmers are selling newly produced jute fibre at rates between Taka 1,600 and Taka 1,800 per mound (40-kg) depending on the varieties and quality of the fibre.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md. Moniruzzaman said the fixed jute farming target could not be achieved following cultivation of Aus rice and maize on more land area, shortage of locally produced quality jute seed and other reasons.
To make jute farming program successful, the DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, other agriculture related departments and organisations extended necessary assistance to farmers.
“However, the fixed production of jute would not be achieved this season in the region due to little shortfall in farming target and damages caused by recent floods to standing jute crop despite excellent yield rate of the fibre crop,” Moniruzzaman added.
BSS from Rajshahi adds: Suitable yield along with the reasonable market price ade the jute growers satisfied in the region including its vast Barind tract in the current season.
Newly harvested jute fibre has started arriving in local markets and the sellers are getting good price in the initial stage.
Kalam Sheikh, a farmer of Puran Tahirpur village in Durgapur Upazila, said he got nine mounds of jute from one bigha of land after spending around Taka 7,500 this season.
He earned Taka 14,400 after selling the jute fibre on Saturday last, he said, adding that he has also jute-sticks which will give some extra money after meeting his family needs.
The farmers are happy getting excellent market price of newly harvested jute as harvesting of the fibre crop is nearing completion with better yield rate in all five districts under Rangpur agriculture region.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said farmers completed harvesting jute on 45,018 hectares of land producing over 5.16-lakh bales of jute with an average yield rate of 11.47 bales per hectare by Wednesday.
The farmers have cultivated jute on 49,792 hectares of land this season when the recent floods damaged standing jute crop on 4,618 hectares of land causing production loss of 50,630 bales of the fibre crop worth Taka 24.02 crore in the region.
“Earlier, the DAE had fixed a target of producing over 6.77-lakh bales of jute fibre from 58,250 hectares of land for the region this season,” said Horticulture Specialist of DAE at its regional office Agriculturist Khondker mMd. Mesbahul Islam.
However, farmers had finally cultivated the crop on 49,792 hectares of land, less by 8,458 hectares of land or 14.52 percent than the fixed farming target, this season in the region.
“After damages caused by floods, standing jute crop on 45,174 hectares of land remained unhurt for harvesting in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts of the region this season,’ Islam said.
The farmers already completed harvesting ‘Tosha’ variety of jute on 40,795 hectares of land to produce 4.754-lakh bales of the fibre crop and local variety on 6,089 hectares to produce 33,556 bales of jute by Wednesday.
“Besides, they harvested ‘Mechta’ variety of jute on 186 heaters to produce 1,486 bales and Kenaf variety of jute on 510 hectares to produce 6,464 bales of the fibre in the region,’ Islam added.
District Marketing Officer for Rangpur Agriculturist ASM Hassan Sarwar said farmers are selling newly produced jute fibre at rates between Taka 1,600 and Taka 1,800 per mound (40-kg) depending on the varieties and quality of the fibre.
Deputy Director of the DAE at its regional office Md. Moniruzzaman said the fixed jute farming target could not be achieved following cultivation of Aus rice and maize on more land area, shortage of locally produced quality jute seed and other reasons.
To make jute farming program successful, the DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, other agriculture related departments and organisations extended necessary assistance to farmers.
“However, the fixed production of jute would not be achieved this season in the region due to little shortfall in farming target and damages caused by recent floods to standing jute crop despite excellent yield rate of the fibre crop,” Moniruzzaman added.
BSS from Rajshahi adds: Suitable yield along with the reasonable market price ade the jute growers satisfied in the region including its vast Barind tract in the current season.
Newly harvested jute fibre has started arriving in local markets and the sellers are getting good price in the initial stage.
Kalam Sheikh, a farmer of Puran Tahirpur village in Durgapur Upazila, said he got nine mounds of jute from one bigha of land after spending around Taka 7,500 this season.
He earned Taka 14,400 after selling the jute fibre on Saturday last, he said, adding that he has also jute-sticks which will give some extra money after meeting his family needs.
