Price of the newly harvested jute in the village-markets and other growth centres is now on the rise making farmers happy in Manikganj and Panchagarh.
According to farmers, jute is being sold at Tk2,200 to Tk2,300 per maunds in Manikganj and Tk2,000 to Tk2,200 per maunds in Panchagarh on the basis of quality which is encouraging farmers towards jute farming.
In Manikganj, farmers in all seven upazilas of the district are very happy because of the bumper yield of jute this year due to favourable weather and availability of agri-inputs, reports our Manikganj correspondent Motiur Rahman.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said a total of 3,396 hectares of land have been brought under jute cultivation in all seven upazilas of the district with a production target of 44,620 bales this year.
DAE sources said cultivation of jute is increasing every year in the district as growers are getting a fair price for their product.
They said farmers cultivated jute on 862 hectares of land in Sadar upazila, 327 hectares in Saturia upazila, 950 hectares in Singair upazila, 302 hectares in Harirampur upazila, 235 hectares in Shibaloy upazila, 308 hectares in Ghior upazila and 412 hectares in Daulatpur upazila this season.
Abdus Salam, 40, a farmer of Kangsha village under Singair upazila, said: “We are interested in cultivating jute as it gives us cash during the lean period.”
Md. Hafijuddin, 52, of village Dashora under Manikganj Sadar upazila said: “I cultivated jute on two bighas this year and I harvested good production.”
“Per maund jute is being sold at Tk2,200 to Tk2,300 this year in local markets which is very profitable, “he added.
Md Shahjahan Ali Biswas, deputy director of DAE, said jute cultivators are interested in jute as they get a good price of their products and they are getting all kinds of support from the government including quality seeds and fertilizers.
In Panchagarh, farmers in the district are happy over bumper jute production and getting fair prices for the cash crop this season.
Now, most of the growers along with their family members are very busy in harvesting, decomposing, segregating and selling activities of jute, reports BSS.
Depen Chandra, a jute farmer of Sabouspara village under Debiganj upazila, said he has cultivated jute on two bighas and harvested 16 maunds.
After deducting all expenditure, Depen has net profit Tk18,000 by selling per maund jute at Tk2,000 to Tk2,200. Last year, he didn’t get this price, he added.
District DAE office sources said, about 9,450 hectares of land were brought under jute cultivation in the district with the production target of 102,000 bales of jute.
DAE Deputy Director Abu Hanif said jute cultivation is lucrative and cost-effective. The climate was favourable for jute cultivation this year.
The DAE has supplied high-quality jute seeds and fertilizers among the farmers at free of cost. The department has also given training to the farmers on modern methods for boosting jute production.
