RANGPUR, June 20, 2021 (BSS) – Farmers are eying bumper production of jute in Rangpur agriculture region during the current season as its harvest will begin next month.
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials said tender jute plants are growing superbly amid favourable climate conditions predicting a profuse production of jute across the region.
Earlier, the DAE had fixed a target of producing 6,89,367 bales of jute from 58,520 hectares of land for all five districts in the region during the current season.
The production target included 6,45,936 bales of ‘Tosha’ variety from 54,100 hectares of land, 34,928 bales of ‘Deshi’ variety from 3,560 hectares, 2,628 bales of ‘Mechta’ variety from 360 hectares and 5,875 bales of Kenaf variety from 500 hectares of land.
However, farmers have finally cultivated jute on 56,412 hectares of land, less by 2,108 hectares or 3.60 percent against the fixed farming target of fiber crop this season.
Of them, farmers have cultivated jute on 9,197 hectares of land in Rangpur, 16,460 hectares in Gaibandha, 19,980 hectares in Kurigram, 4,075 hectares in Lalmonirhat and 7,000 hectares of land in Nilphamari districts of the region.
Talking to BSS, Agriculturist Bidhu Bhusan Ray, Additional Director of the DAE, Rangpur region said the government provided high yielding varieties of jute seeds to farmers to make the jute farming programme a success.
“The DAE provided training and inputs to farmers for separating and rotting of jute fibre adopting the latest technologies to ensure better quality to enable them in getting higher price of their produce and revive past glory of the fibre,” Ray said.
After getting lucrative prices in local markets between Taka 4,000 and Taka 5,000 per maund of jute last season, farmers have cultivated high yielding varieties of jute with huge enthusiasm this year.
Due to crop diversification and cultivation of Aush rice and maize on more land area, the fixed target for jute farming marked a little shortfall this season.
“However, farmers are expected to achieve the fixed production target of jute for cultivation of high yielding varieties on more land in the region,” Ray said.
He said declaration of jute as a national agricultural product by the government along with mandatory use of jute sacs in various sectors continues increasing demand of jute fibre in local markets alongside ensuring its fair price.
Talking to BSS, Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid said tender jute plants are growing fabulously predicting a plentiful production of the fibre crop this season in Rangpur region.
Farmers Aiyub Ali, Mizanur Rahman, Ariful Haque, Manik Mian, Amenur Rahman, Abdul Momin, Mosaddek Hossain, Korban Ali and Abdur Rahim of different villages in Rangpur said they are expecting a bumper jute production this season.