The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

Senior experts and agriculture scientists today said that increased production of jute could usher in a new era in the country's economy as its demand has been increasing in the international markets due to adverse effects of the synthetic fibres.

They said this while addressing the concluding session of a two-day training course on production and preservation of high quality seeds of jute and 'Kenaf' to raise production of the 'golden fibre' in regaining its past glory.

The farmers could produce and preserve quality seeds at their own for meeting their demands without depending on others and the country may be self-reliant on jute seeds in near future.

The training course was organised for the officials and employees of the Agriculture Extension and Agriculture Research Departments of Rangpur, Kurigram, Dinajpur, Bogra and Joypurhat districts at the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) in Rangpur.

The Rangpur Regional Centre of the BJRI organised the course to achieve self-reliance in producing quality jute and 'Kenaf' seeds for meeting local demands and increasing jute production in the country.

Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Rangpur Zone Kazi Nazim Uddin attended the inaugural and concluding sessions as the chief guest while Senior Scientific Officer of BJRI from Dhaka Yar Uddin Sarker was present as special guest.

Chief Scientific Officer of Rangpur BJRI Dr Mohammad Ayub Khan chaired the concluding session. Senior Scientific Officer of BJRI, Rangpur Zahid Al Rafique, its Senior Scientific Officer M Yunus Ali and Scientific Officer Babul Hossain, among others, addressed the function.

Scientific officers, experts of BJRI and DAE conducted the training course organised for the field-level officials and workers of the agriculture-related departments of five northern districts.

The scientists and experts underscored the need for involving more farmers in producing high quality jute and 'Kenaf' seeds by applying the latest technologies for fulfilling demand of jute seeds by locally produced ones.

They also asked the concerned officials for organising frequent training courses for field level officials and farmers at the grassroots to aquaint them with the modern technologies for producing and preserving jute and 'Kenaf' seeds.

They urged the participants for motivating the farmers to increase jute production in reviving the glory of the Golden Fibre as its demand in the international markets has been growing fast because of its eco-friendly nature.

There will be no need for importing jute seeds within the next few years as the farmers have been producing huge quantity of quality seeds in the country using the latest technologies, they added.