Photo: BSS

NATORE, Aug 3, 2026 (BSS) - Farmers in the district have exceeded this year's jute cultivation target, driven by strong market prices, favorable weather conditions and growing demand for environmentally friendly jute products, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).

As the peak jute harvesting season gets underway across the country, vast stretches of green jute fields in Natore are being harvested while ponds, canals, rivers, and wetlands are bustling with activities such as retting, fibre extraction, drying and jute stick collection. 

The annual harvest has transformed rural communities into what locals describe as a "jute festival".

According to the DAE, jute cultivation in the district reached 35,066 hectares, surpassing the target of 30,880 hectares. A decade ago, the district's jute acreage was nearly half of its current size. Both cultivated area and per-hectare productivity have increased steadily in recent years.

So far, farmers have harvested jute from 14,800 hectares, producing approximately 30,990 tonnes of fibre.

In Singra upazila, hundreds of men and women are working along roadsides and nearby wetlands in the villages of Saul and Larua, where jute is being retted and fibres are extracted. Women's participation has become particularly noticeable, with many separating fibres from retted jute without entering the 
water.

Bhanu Bewa, one of the workers, said she is extracting jute fibres in exchange for keeping the jute sticks. Harez Mia, working in the Godai River at Hatianadaha, said a team of 10 labourers earns around Taka 700 per day, while others are paid Taka 4.50 per bundle.

Another group of women working on the riverbank also collect jute sticks instead of cash wages. Many female members of farming households are processing jute fibres in their own homesteads.

Hafsa, a secondary school student, said she is helping her family process jute during school holidays, describing the work as both enjoyable and rewarding.

Across the district, freshly extracted jute fibres are being dried on bamboo frames, bridge railings and around village homes, while stacks of jute sticks line the roadsides, reflecting the season's abundance.

Farmer Romijul from Larua village cultivated jute on two bighas of land this year. He said abundant rainfall during the Bengali months of Ashar and Sraban filled nearby water bodies, making retting easier and reducing transportation costs. However, frequent rain and limited sunshine have made drying the fibres more difficult.

Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Md. Mizanur Rahman of Hoibatpur Block in Natore Sadar said the average yield in his area is about nine maunds per bigha.

Farmer Zubayer Hossain of Jathian village in Rajapur cultivated jute on seven bighas and expects to harvest around 10 maunds per bigha.

Ariful Islam of Bashila village in Naldanga upazila said cultivating jute between wheat or pulse harvests and the Aman rice season helps prevent farmland from remaining fallow. Early sowing in the Bengali month of Chaitra also allows timely harvesting before Aman transplantation.

Model farmer Hasan Ali said farmers' interest in jute cultivation has grown significantly in recent years due to expanding domestic and international markets and better prices.

Visits to major jute markets in Nazirpur of Gurudaspur, Tebaria in Natore Sadar, and Hatianadaha in Singra revealed that trading of the new season's jute has already begun.

Farmer Firoz Ali said he sold his freshly harvested jute at Taka 3,500 per maund at Hatianadaha market.

Veteran jute trader Azizul Islam Member expressed optimism that prices would remain profitable for both farmers and traders. Current market prices range between Taka 3,000 and Taka 4,000 per maund, with expectations of further increases as marketing activities gather momentum.

Singra Upazila Agriculture Officer Khandakar Farid Hasan said the average jute yield in the upazila currently stands at around 8.5 maunds per bigha, with production expected to increase further as harvesting continues.

Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Natore Md. Habibul Islam Khan said abundant rainfall this season created ideal conditions for retting jute. He said that increasing global demand for eco-friendly products has boosted the use of jute both at home and abroad.

"The higher prices are encouraging farmers to expand jute cultivation," he said. "The government has provided incentives, while the agriculture department continues to support farmers through training and modern production technologies."