Jute output exceeds target

Jute farmers are happy in the district due to good production of the fibre and its fair prices in the local markets during the on-going harvesting season.

They are busy cutting and processing the crop in Sadar upazila and Shibganj upazila as harvesting is going on in full swing.

At present, most of the growers along with their family members are engaged in harvesting, decomposing, segregating and selling the fibre.

Sajdar Rahman, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Chapainawabganj, said production exceeded the target as the crop grew well and the cultivation area was bigger. He said huge enthusiasm had been created among the growers this season and it would continue in future.

Farmers cultivated jute on 1,000 hectares of land against the target of 5,56 hectares, producing 7,550 bales while 500 hectares were cultivated last year, producing 4,599 bales, Sajdar said. 

Farmers are cultivating Tosha 38 (04), locally known as Misti Pat, local varieties CVL 1, D 154, locally known as Tita Pat, and Mesta, and the quality of the jute is good, the DAE official added.

Raw jute is selling at between Tk 1,500 and Tk 1,600 per maund in the local markets this season, depending on quality. The market prices early in the harvesting season are lower than in the previous year, according to market sources. The price was Tk 2,200 last year.

Jute grower Atabur Rahman of Shibganj upazila, said he cultivated jute on six bighas of land in the current season and produced 48 maunds of raw jute, spending just Tk 18,000. He sold his produce at Tk 1,500 per maund. He hoped that he would be able to sell jute sticks for Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500, so his net profit would be about Tk 30,000 to Tk 35,000.