Gopalganj farmers at wit\\\'s end for lack of water for jute retting

Our Correspondent

GOPALGANJ, Oct 18: Farmers here have been facing difficulties in decomposing jute plants due to lack of water in water bodies which is essential to separate fibers from stalks.

Farmers have stacked jute plants under open sky in absence of sufficient water in water bodies.

A draught like situation has been prevailing in the district for quite sometime. Local Met Office said expected rainfall did not occur in the months July to September. An official of local Met Office said rainfall in the season has been the lowest in the district.

Meanwhile, some varieties of jute cultivated earlier have started arriving in local markets.

While local variety is being sold between Tk 1000 and 1600 per mound in local markets. The government did not fix any rate for jute.

However, jute traders are not in a position to purchase jute from farmers as they have no cash. Jute mills have failed to pay the traders the outstanding bills for the last two years, local traders said.

According to local Department of Agricultural Extension (AED), Gopalganj, a total of 23,377 hectares of land in five upazilas in the district were brought under jute cultivation this season.

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