Photo : BSS

RANGPUR, Aug 20, 2025 (BSS) - As the jute harvest is nearing completion in all five districts of the Rangpur agricultural region this season, farmers are happy with its excellent yield and profitable prices.
 
Market sources said farmers are selling newly harvested jute in the local markets at rates between Taka 3,500 and Taka 4,000 per mound (every 40 kg) depending on varieties and quality of the fibre.
 
Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) said farmers have so far harvested jute on 47,824 hectares of land producing 6,53,779 bales at an average yield rate of 13.67 bales (2.49 tonnes) per hectare of land.
 
Acting Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md Sirajul Islam said the government has fixed a target of producing 7,09,799 bales of jute from 54,669 hectares of land for the region during the current Kharif-1 season. 
 
The target included production of 6,23,450 bales of 'Tosha' variety jute fibre from 49,200 hectares, 32,565 bales of 'Deshi' variety from 3,573 hectares, 2,124 bales of 'Mechta' variety from 354 hectares and 5,315 bales of Kenaf variety from 440 hectares of land.
 
The DAE, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute and other organizations provided necessary assistance, training and technologies to farmers for enhancing jute farming this season. 
 
"However, farmers have finally cultivated jute on 48,457 hectares of land, less by 6,121 hectares of land or 6.22 percent against the fixed farming target for the crop this time," Islam said.
 
Farmers had mostly cultivated high yielding varieties of jute on more land area though the fixed target marked a shortfall due to crop diversification and cultivation of other crops on more land area. 
 
Md Mamunur Rashid, a PhD fellow at the Department of Agricultural Extension of Haji Mohammad Danesh University of Science and Technology expressed satisfaction over the jute yield and market prices.
 
"Many farmers have produced high-quality jute fiber by rotting their harvested jute plants in water bodies and have adopted the ribbon retting method this season in the region," he said. 
 
The demand for jute has increased drastically as a result of ensuring mandatory use of jute bags in various sectors and jute cultivation becoming more profitable for farmers in recent years. 
 
Apart from good profits from jute cultivation, farmers also benefit from jute cultivation because after harvesting, its leaves and deep roots decompose into organic fertilizer that improves soil health and fertility, Rashid said.
 
Jute growers Solaiman Ali, Jahurul Islam, Moktadir Hossain and Kafil Uddin of different villages in Rangpur said that they have already harvested jute and sold the fiber at rates between Taka 3,600 and Taka 3,900 per mound.
 
Similarly, farmers Nur Mohammad and Abdus Sobhan at Barobari Bazar in Lalmonirhat said they sold their harvested 'Tosha' variety of jute at rates between Taka 3,700 and Taka 4,000 per mound last week.