Drought imperils jute growth in Nilphamari

NILPHAMARI, May 31: Jute cultivation suffered a setback due to prolonged drought in Nilphamari district this year. There was no rain in the last two Bengali months of Chairtra and Baishakh. As a result some of the farmers could not sprinkle jute seeds in jute lands.
Some of the jute plants failed to stay alive due to excessive heat of the sunlight. DAE sources said jute cultivation target was in 12770 hectares of land this year in the district but the farmers could cultivate only 10780 hectares of land.
While contacted Moinul Hossain of Tupamari UP of sadar upazila said he cultivated jute in 40-decimal land but due to drought the seeds failed to germinate.
While contacted Moklesur Rahman of Nilphamari Municipality, Kamrul of Ramnagar UP of sadar upazila, Golam Mostafa of Chapra Saramjami UP of Kishoreganj and others claimed that their jute plants did not grow properly due to drought in this year.