SYLHET, May14: Jute cultivating is going on in Sylhet division during the current season. Against the target of 1685 hectares of land, already 1508 hectares of land had been brought under the farming, an official of DAE, Sylhet divisional office, informed this on Monday.
The area includes hectares in 198 Sylhet which had a target of 185 hectares, 16 hectares in Moulvibazar, having a target of 30 hectares and 480 hectares in Habiganj which had a target of 404 hectares. In Sunamganj district, the cultivated area is 814 hectares against a target of 1066 hectares, the official added.
Cultivation of different varieties of jute like Kenaf, Mesta, Tosha and the local variety has been on a rise in the region this year although it was almost absent years ago. The variety wise area is Local 531 hectares, Tosha 112 hectares, Kenaf 600 hectares and Mesta 265 hectares.
The farming area would be increased a little more since there is time yet, said additional director of the DAE, Sylhet divisional office, Md Altabur Rahman. Some selected poor farmers were given some assistance this year, he said, better price of the crops had prompted the common farmers to cultivating jute. Besides, some farmers cultivate it for family consumption as well as for selling jute leaves as vegetable.
On the other hand the special programme for bringing arable lands under farming in the Sylhet division also contributed to some extent in this regard, the senior official noted.
Farmer Ahmed Ali well to do farmer from Tuker Bazar village under Sylhet Sadar said the high price of jute leaves as vegetables inspire many cultivators in jute farming due to the better returns this season.
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