Jute cultivators in the district are in joyous mood owing to soaring price of the crop this year.
Jute was cultivated on around 10,500 hectares of land in eight upazilas under the district during the current season. Harvesting of the golden fibre was completed across the region and the farmers are satisfied with the price they have got so far by selling their produce, DAE sources said.
Presently, per maund golden fibre is being sold at Tk 1800 to Tk 2200 at different markets depending on variety and quality, sources said.
Farmers said in previous years many farmers showed their reluctance to cultivate jute due to low price. As a result farming of the crop has decreased under the region this year. But this season farmers are encouraged by good price of the crop and are expecting to increase its cultivation next year, sources also said.
Nurunnabi, a jute grower of Dangapara village at Taraganj upazila told FE that he cultivated jute on two bighas of land during previous years but did not get satisfactory price. Being disappointed he reduced its cultivation this year to one bigha, he said. But this year its soaring price is encouraging him again to increase its cultivation area next season, he added.
Ojiar Rahman, another jute cultivator of Char Thakurdas village in Kawnia upazila said he has sold 10 maunds of jute at Tk 2000 per maund this year which is satisfactory to him. But he has expressed his dissatisfaction over the yield of the cash crop.
Many farmers also expressed their disappointment over low output of the cash crop this year.
According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Rangpur official sources due to good price jute farmers of the region are delighted and they are also optimistic of expanding its farming land next year. The department is helping the growers by providing them necessary advices and agri-inputs in order to enhance its cultivation across the region, sources added.
BSS adds: The newly harvested jute has started arriving in markets and growth centers of the district with farmers reaping fair prices of the crop.
Market sources said harvesting of the cash crop this year is nearing completion in all the six upazilas of the district. The growers are happy with the present market price of jute.
The jute price is ranging between Tk 2,000 and Tk 2,200 per mounds (40 KG) depending on their varieties and quality.
The sources said purchasing agencies belonging to Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) are procuring high quality jute from the local markets at a higher rate.
And as a result, farmers having comparatively lower quality jute are facing problem in disposing of their produce. An organised syndicate with ulterior motives is creating obstruction to marketing of low quality jute putting interest of the farmers in peril.
Talking to the news agency, a good number of jute farmers expressed the hope that the government will issue necessary instructions to the concerned authorities for purchasing all kinds of jute from the markets.