Jute harvests complete with sizeable yield

BARISAL, Sept 8 (BSS) Jute harvests in 11 southern districts under Barisal Agricultural Extension Zone (BAEZ) have been completed with production of a sizeable amount of raw jute during the current season.brOfficial sources told the news agency Saturday that farmers in the districts cultivated jute on 1,31,126 hectares of lands and produced 14,28,679 bales of raw jute within the BAEZ area this year. brOf the total acreage, the Tosha variety was cultivated on 1,25,459 hectares while the local variety on 4,569 hectares. The Tosha variety was produced at the rate of 11 bales per hectare while the local variety at the rate of 8 bales per hectare.brThe sources said jute was cultivated on 1,550 hectares in Barisal, 227 hectares in Jhalakathi, 56 hectares in Pirojpur, 65 hectares in Patuakhali, 37 hectares in Barguna, 210 hectares in Bhola, 56,255 hectares in Faridpur, 19,138 hectares in Madaripur, 13,637 hectares in Gopalganj, 26,355 hectares in Rajbari and 13,591 hectares in Shariatpur districts. brMeanwhile, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) established several demonstration plots in these districts for familiarising the farmers with scientific methods of jute cultivation.brThe BADC supplied necessary amount of seeds, fertilisers and insecticides to the farmers for making this year's jute cultivation a success with higher yield. brBesides, both government and private banks disbursed short- term loans among the small and marginal farmers for jute cultivation in these districts. brThe farmers are now selling their newly harvested jute for Tk 900 to Tk 1,000 per maund (40 kilogrammes) at the local markets. Finer variety of jute is being sold over Tk 1,200 per maund here now, market sources said.brJute growers said that they would get better prices of the golden fibre if the market prices go up to Tk 1,500 per maund depending on its varieties and qualities.