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Jute harvest goes on in eight northern districts

July 21, 2019 00:00:00


Jute harvest is progressing fast in all the eight districts under the Rajshahi division in the current season with a prediction of better yield, reports BSS.

As there was favourable climatic condition, jute was cultivated on more lands than that of target fixed by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).

At present, most of the growers along with their family members are very much engaged in harvesting, decomposing, segregating and selling activities of jute.

On starting of full-scale harvesting and decomposing activities within next 15 to 20 days, jute will be available in the markets abundantly.

Abdur Razzaque, a farmer of Sreepur village under Paba upazila, said jute's golden era has started returning back.

He said the role of private jute mills and government's declaration about the mandatory use of jute bags in packaging public food grains boosted jute cultivation.

Last year, initial market price of jute was Tk 1,400 to Tk 1,500 per maund. But, finally the price stood at Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000 per maund, he said.

Razzaque mentioned the price could have been more if there were no syndicate of middlemen and traders. He sought government intervention of controlling the syndicate to facilitate the farmers to get fair price.

Meanwhile, DAE here has set a target of producing around 1.21 million tonnes of jute from 0.11 million hectares of land in the Rajshahi division during the current season.

Deb Dulal Dhali, Additional Director of DAE, said farmers got fair prices of jute during the last couple of years and as a result, they are now eager to cultivate more jute.

"Nine to ten years back, the farmers lost interest in jute cultivation as they did not get fair prices," said the official.


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