Jute cultivation declines

Jute cultivation in Rangpur region decreased this year as farmers did not get expected price for their produce last year.

Around 59,938 hectares of land was brought under jute cultivation in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Nilphmari under Rangpur region this year, while it was 62,273 hectares last year, said Foyez Uddin, officer of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Rangpur.

Local variety jute was cultivated on 5,235 hectares and Tosa jute on 54,703 hectares.

DAE officials are expecting 6,91,205 bales of jute this season, while it was 6,44,684 bales last year.

Farmers of these districts started planting jute at the end of March, and it will be harvested 110 days after planting. A few farmers faced losses last year as there was not enough water for rotting the harvested jute. 

DAE officials said that jute was cultivated on 11,830 hectares in Rangpur, 12,175 in Gaibandha, 20,703 in Kurigram, 4,780 in Lalmonirhat, and 10,450 hectares in Nilphamari.

Jotindra Roy of Taraganj upazila of Rangpur, however,  said demand for jute has gone up as the government is trying to promote jute made products in the country banning polythene bags, adding that he cultivated jute on four acres this year. “Many farmers who switched to other crops leaving jute are farming the golden fibre again,” he said.