Over 42,500 bales of jute expected to be produced in Netrakona

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NETRAKONA, June 30, 2020 (BSS) – Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) officials and farmers are expecting bumper jute production in the district as the cultivation target fixed by the DAE is exceeded.

More than 42,500 bales of jute are likely to be produced in the district this year, a DAE official said.

Meanwhile, farmers have successfully cultivated jute on 4,825 hectares of land in the district exceeding this year’s jute cultivation target fixed by the government at 4,675 hectors of land, DAE sources said.

Of the total jute cultivated land, 228 hectares have been brought under cultivation of Olitorious variety of jute, 3,343 hectares under Knaf variety of jute, 436 hectares under Mesta variety of jute and 818 hectors of land under capsularies variety of jute, the sources said.

“It has been possible to cultivate more 450 hectors of land than the targeted land as the government has taken various pragmatic farmers-friendly programs to inspire the jute cultivators to cultivate jute on their farmlands including all the fellow lands across the district”, said Habibur Rahman, deputy director of DAE, Netrakona.

Under the programs, different state-run agencies including BADC and BCIC ensured supplying of improved quality jute seeds, fertilizers and commercial banks including Bangladesh Krishi Bank disbursed crops loan to the farmers, he said.

DD Habibir Rahman informed that many farmers showed their keen interest for cultivating jute on their farm lands including all the fellow lands following the last year’s bumper production of jute and its better market prices.

Besides, many educated young farmers also came forward to cultivate jute on their farm land as the demand of jute and jute products has continued increasing across the world, the DD added.

President of Krishak League, Netrakona district unit, Kashob Ranjan Sarker said jute cultivators have been getting field level services for achieving bumper production of jute this year.

The government has taken various programs as per the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to bring back the past glory of jute as the ‘Golden Fiber’ of the country, he said.