GAIBANDHA, July 04 (BSS): A total of 22 entrepreneurs of three upazilas in the district got Aashkols (Jute fibre extraction machines) from the RDRS Bangladesh on Wednesday.
The machine ensures the quality of the jute fibre.
A function was also held at the conference room of Gaibandha Government Technical Training Center at Farazipara on the outskirt of the district town.
Programme manager of RDRS Bangladesh Porsia Rahman presided over the event.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gautam Chandra Pal addressed the function as the chief guest and Principal of training centre M Atiqur, Sadar upazila agriculture officer AKM Sadiqul Islam and chief inspector of jute Mokbul Hossain were present on the occasion as the special guests.
Regional manager of Practical Action Bangladesh Nehal Azmat Mohi was the moderator of the event.
The speakers focused on the need for introducing the modern jute extraction technology to the farmers without delay to get quality jute fibre.
It will help the growers earn economical profit in a bid to change their lots gradually, they added.
DC Gautam Chandra Pal laid emphasis on popularising the jute fibre extraction machines to the farmers' community in the day ahead to get quality jute fibre for producing high quality jute value added products and creating its demand in both the national and the international market.
The DC also urged the concerned to build the Aashkols at local workshops at larger scale and sell it to the farmers at reasonable prices to expand the technology at grass root level of the district.
Later, DC Gautam Chandra Pal formally handed over the Aashkols to the entrepreneurs of Sundarganj, Fulchhari and Shaghata upazilas of the district.
The entrepreneurs in their instant reaction expressed their deep satisfaction and thanked all the concerned for providing the Aashkols to them at reasonable cost.
Earlier, the entrepreneurs were provided with need base training on the operation of the Aashkols under the project.
In Panchagarh, farmers and DAE officials are expecting bumper jute production in the district this year as the weather condition was favorable for cultivation of jute.
DAE has also given modern technology training to the farmers for boosting jute production. It has also supplied high quality of jute seeds, fertilizers among the farmers at a cost of free.
Department of Agriculture extension office sources said, jute cultivated on 8,130 hectares of land in the district with the production target 19,000 metric tonnes.
Farmer Sunil Kumar said that jute cultivation is increasing as farmers are getting fair price of jute as now the time the jute is using sack, small bag.