Farmers in Netrakona district have started harvesting jute, the golden fibre of Bangladesh.
Raw jute has also started appearing in the market. It is expected that jute harvesting will be completed in a week.
On a spot visit on Tuesday, it was seen that the farmers of Birampur, Manshri, Nagdara, Maghan, Banihari, Seyadhar, and other villages of MohanganjUpazila are busy harvesting jute and dumping in water to get it rotten. Farmers say that although the weather was favourable at the beginning of the season, the jute yield has improved due to the subsequent rains. They are expecting a fair price.
According to the Upazila Agriculture Office, jute has been cultivated on 1,525 hectares in Mohanganj, 485 hectares in Barhatta, 950 hectares in Madan and 850 hectares in Atparaupazila this season. In other upazilas jute has been cultivated on a small tract of land.
It is also learnt that after cutting jute, Aman paddy will be planted on these lands. This time the jute yield has been a quite good as the weather was good. They are hoping to see some profit if they get fair price this year.
Jute farmer Haresh Mia said despite the rains at the beginning of the season, jute cultivation has been very good. Now we will rotjute after harvest.If market price is fair, I will be benefitted, he hoped.
Akkas Mia, a farmer from Birampur village, said, "I have cultivated jute on one bigha of land spending six thousand taka. There will be 14 to 15 maunds of jute per bigha. The price of jute is 2800 to 3000 taka per maund.
According to the District Deputy Director of Agricultural Extension, jute has been cultivated on 4,910 hectares of land in the district this time. The target for jute cultivation was 4,930 hectares. But 4,930 hectares of land have been brought under cultivation this year.
shafikul2002@gmail.com