Jute retting hampered in Chandpur as waterbodies, croplands run dry

CHANDPUR, Aug 06: Farmers in the district are facing a setback in conducting the jute retting process due to unavailability of water in the canals, waterbodies and croplands even in the middle of monsoon.
Piled up jute stalks are drying up in the fields as there is no water to process those and the dire situation is creating a concern for the jute growers.
Farmers said if the ongoing water crisis continues for want of rain, they will have to incur heavy losses this season.
Besides, they fear that they are unlikely to get desired profit from the golden fibre this time although there has been a good yield of the crop in Chandpur Sadar, Faridganj, Matlab Dakshin and Kochua upazilas, district's major jute producing areas.
Hajiganj Upazila Agri Officer Dilruba Khanam and Sadar Upazila Krishi officer Ayesha Akter said lack of rain not only hampered jute processing, but also damaged Aman seedbeds.
According to an official of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Chandpur, over 4,000 hectares of land have been brought under jute cultivation in the district this year.
He said for want of rainfall and water in the canals and waterbodies, farmers in Chandpur Sadar, Faridganj, Matlab Dakshin and Kochua are facing great problems as they have no other option to rot jute plants. They have to spend extra labour cost for taking the jute plants to other places for rotting.
Visiting Balithuba, Subidpur, Gupti and other adjacent areas in Faridganj a few days ago, this correspondent found the jute farmers were worried about the prospect of jute sale.
Worried farmers Mohsin Patwary (55) , Seraj Sarder (58), Soleman Mia, (50) and a few others of Balithuba and adjacent areas said despite good yield of jute and its good prices in the open markets, they cannot rot the plants for want of enough water in the canals, beels and ponds. They expect heavy rainfall every moment, but in vain.
Contacted, Faridganj Krishi Upazila officer Ashik J Mahmud admitting the reality said although there has been a good harvest of jute, the farmers fear huge loss this year.
Farmers further said for want of water, jute's quality is getting low too. Many jute sticks have dried up. In the past years, this did not happen at all.
According to the Faridganj upazila agriculture extension office, jute has been cultivated in about 150 hectares of land in all the 15 unions and municipal areas of the upazila.
In Matlab Dakhshin upazila, about 350 hectares of land have been brought under jute cultivation this year. Also in the upazila, farmers are facing troubles in rotting their jute due to dried-up waterbodies.
While talking to the FE correspondent, Abdul Mannan (44) and Dulal Bepari(48) of Nolua village, Masud Mia(47) of Paton village under Nayergaon union, and Rahmat Ali (60) of Baishpur area looked worried about how to rot jute this season.
They stare at the sky for rain every day. Last year, they incurred a loss by selling jute at 50 less price due to coronavirus fallout.
Hajiganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Dilruba Khanam said the farmers in Hajiganj have cultivated jute in 450 hectares of land. There has been a good yield of jute. But for want of rains, they have been facing problems with their harvested jute. She further said Aman seedbeds are also being affected for want of rain.
In Chandpur Sadar, Upazila Krishi Officer Ayesha Akter said a total of 1604 hectares of land have been brought under jute cultivation in the upazila. But despite good yield, the farmers cannot rot their jute in the waterbodies for want of rain.
Talking to this correspondent, Hanif Patwary, Shahid Gazi, Jahirul Huque, Anwar Hossain of Pollibiddut village under Shah Mahmudpur union in sadar upazila said they have left their harvested jute in their fields as they have no money to carry their jute to other places to rot.
They are eagerly waiting for heavy rain that will make canals beside their fields full to the brim.