The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shamim Jahangir

Production of jute and area under its cultivation have declined last year due mainly to its falling prices and negligence of the government, according to jute experts.

The country produced 55 lakh bales of jute in the year 2006-7 and its production came down to 47.29 lakh bales in 2007-8,they said.

A total of 4.85 lakh hectares of land were targeted for the production of jute in 2007-8, but it was cultivated on 4.73 lakh hectares. They expressed their apprehension that the production of golden fibre would decline further if the government failed to support the sector.

The production of jute was projected at 51.22 lakh bales in 2007-8, but the actual production was 47.29 lakh bales, according to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources.

Shahidullah Chowdhury, President of the working committee of Trade Union Centre, said that jute farmers were not getting fair price for their produce over the years and they were losing interest in its production.

He further said that most of the farmers incurred losses by producing jute as the market price was lower than its production cost.

Shahidullah blamed the past and the present governments for the debacle in the jute market. The shutting down of eight jute mills across the country last year alone heavily damaged the jute market both at home and abroad, he noted.

Textile and Jute Adviser Md Anwarul Iqbal recently termed the eight state owned jute mills " losing concerns" and said five jute mills out of the eight have been leased out to private management for five years.

Such initiative by the government will create employment for more than 6000 people, he said.

The government will receive Tk 12.48 crore from the five leased out mills annually, he said adding, "We shall be able to spend the amount for paying outstanding arrears of laid out jute mills workers and also pay loan of the banks."

Besides, the government has invited tender afresh to lease out the Kaomi Jute Mills and BDCF Jute Mills as earlier bid to dispose them was not acceptable.