RANGPUR, Aug 27, 2022 (BSS) - Farmers are happy getting better prices of jute as its harvest is nearing completion despite scarcity of water for rotting the harvested plants in Rangpur agriculture region.
 
According to market sources, the newly harvested jute fibre is being sold at rates between Taka 2,200 and Taka 2,500 per maund (every 40 kg) in local markets depending on varieties and quality of the fibre.
 
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials said farmers are harvesting and rotting jute plants now in water bodies and adopting latest ribbon-retting technology amid scarcity of water to ensure better quality of the fibre for high price.
 
"Earlier, a target of producing 6,77,619 bales of jute was fixed from 58,124 hectares of land for the region this season," said Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Emdad Hossain Sheikh.
 
The target includes production of 6,35,208 bales of 'Tosha' variety jute fibre from 53,690 hectares of land, 33,863 bales of 'Deshi' variety from 3,574 hectares, 2,555 bales of 'Mechta' variety from 350 hectares and 5,993 bales of Kenaf variety from 510 hectares of land.
 
The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute and other organizations provided assistance, training and technologies to farmers for enhancing jute farming this season.
 
"However, farmers have finally cultivated jute on 51,627 hectares of land, less by 6,497 hectares of land or 11.18 percent against the fixed farming target," Sheikh said.
 
Farmers have cultivated high yielding varieties of jute on more land area though the fixed target marked a shortfall due to crop diversification and cultivation of other crops on more land area.
 
Till Friday, farmers have harvested jute on 47,399 hectares of land and produced 6,06,926 bales of the fibre crop at an average yield rate of 12.80 bales per hectare.
 
"However, we are hopeful to achieve a better production of jute for expanded cultivation of high yielding varieties of the crop this year," Sheikh added.
 
Talking to BSS, Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said farmers are rotting their harvested jute plants in water bodies as well as adopting ribbon retting method amidst a scarcity of water this season.
 
Farmers are currently getting better market price of jute and it might increase further after completion of the harvesting process.
 
"Declaration of jute as a national agricultural product by the government and mandatory use of jute sacs in various sectors has increased demand of the fibre crop ensuring its fair price and making jute farming more profitable for farmers," Rashid said.
 
Talking to BSS, jute growers Azizul Islam, Golam Mostafa, Akbar Hossain, Dulal Chandra Roy and Hamidur Rahman of different villages in Rangpur said they are selling the newly harvested jute at rates between Taka 2,200 and Taka 2,500 per maund.