The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

A bumper production of jute is likely as its harvesting has been nearing completion everywhere in all 58 upazilas of eight districts under Rangpur Agriculture Zone (RAZ), officials said here today.

Due to less rainfalls this year than that of the average normal, farmers in few areas have been facing little problems in rotting of the fibre plants and expressed their dissatisfaction on the declining jute prices now prevailing in the local markets.

Officials, market sources and farmers today told BSS that the newly harvested jute is now selling at rates of Taka 750 and 900 per maund (every 40 kgs) depending on their qualities and varieties though the same was in between Taka 1,100 and 1,200 last month.

Senior officials in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) here today said that a target of producing 4,72,920 bales of jute from 67,560 hectares was fixed for the current season in eight northern districts under the RAZ.

They said. the farmers in the region brought over 67,950 hectares land under jute farming during the current season and the crop grew excellently under totally favourable climatic conditions this time in the Zone. The fixed jute-farming target included 10,020 hectares in Rangpur, 8,250 hectares in Gaibandha, 16,150 hectares in Kurigram, 6,039 hectares in Lalmonirhat, 11,406 hectares in Nilphamari, 4,878 hectares in Dinajpur, 4,595 hectares in Thakurgaon and 6,244 hectares in Panchagarh districts.

While talking to BSS, a number of jute growers at bigger jute markets told that it would be best if the market price of the golden fibre would remain in between Taka 1,200 and Taka 1,400 per maund depending on the varieties and qualities. They also urged the government for taking necessary steps in this regard to increase the market prices of the fibre with a view to encourage the farmers and reviving the jute sector to its past glory.