Low prices dishearten jute growers in N-region

Our Correspondent
RAJSHAHI, Oct 11: Despite a bumper production of jute, a low price of the product is disappointing the farmers of northern region of the country.
Though regarded as a cash crop, farmers of the region were losing their interest to cultivate jute. Specially, in Rajshahi, Naogoan, Natore, Chapainwabganj, Bogra, Jaipurhat districts, the cultivation of jute being waning year after year. The unstable market price of jute is forcing the farmers of those region to switch to other crops rather than jute.
In Natore district, there was a bumper jute production this year where it was cultivated on 24,675 hectares of land producing 57,536 tonnes of jute. The average production per acre was 2.31 tonnes.
Zahurul Islam of Atghoria village under Nator sadar upazila informed, he cultivated jute on 22 decimal of land. The total cost of cultivation including labour, seed, weeding, fertiliser was Tk 7,600. He got five maunds of jute after processing. Per maund of jute in the local haats and markets was varying from Tk 1,250 to Tk 1,400 and he could sell five maunds of jute at Tk 6,300 and thus incurring a solid loss of Taka 1,300.
Mukter Ali of Puthimari village under Singra upazila informed, for cultivation of jute in one bigha of land he spent Tk 1,000 for ploughing the land, Tk 400 for purchasing of seed, Tk 2,000 for weeding the land, Tk 2,500 for irrigation purpose and Tk 500 for purchasing and applying of fertiliser and Tk 4,000 more is required to harvesting, dumping (wetting) and washing the jute totalling Tk 10,500 to Tk 11,000. He only got seven maunds of jute after processing and at the market rate of Tk 1,400, he would get only Tk 9,800 return.
Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Director of DAE. Natore informed due to flooding and adequate rainfall, there was a bumper production of jute in the district this year. He, however, mentioned, there having no fixed procurement price of jute by the government, the price of jute in varying place to place.
In Chapainwabganj district there was a bumper production of jute this year but due to low market price, farmers were disappointed.
DAE sources in Chapainwabganj informed, jute has been produced in 1,505 hectares of land as against a target of 920 hectares this year. Nearly eight metric tonnes of jute has been produced in per hectares of land.
Mujibur Rahman of Sunderpur village under sadar upazila said it required him around Tk 10,000 in cultivating and processing of jute in a bigha of land but by selling jute at Tk 1,2oo to Tk 1,400 per maund, the farmers were incurring loss.
Monjurul Huda, Deputy Director of DAE, Chapainawabganj informed, there was no pest infestation in the jute field and there was no scarcity of water due to flooding this year. Moreover, the market price of jute being satisfactory, farmers of the district were increasingly being interested to cultivate jute.
Meanwhile, in nine unions of Raninagar upazila under Naogaon district and in most upazilas of Bogra and Joypurhat districts, jute is no more seen to cultivate though once jute was a staple crop in the region. Even, four decades ago, Raninagar upazila of Naogaon was famous for jute cultivation.
Sheikh Hafizar Rahman of Dakahar village under Ekdala union informed, due to fall in price of jute day after day, farmers of the region were losing their interest in jute cultivation.
Mofakkhar Hossain Khan, Principal of Sher-e-Bangla Degree College informed, due to mismanagement and absence of incentives from the government, farmers were losing their interest in jute cultivation. He mentioned, many other departments including Rice Research Institute, Wheat and Maize Research Institute of the government encouraged the farmers to cultivate rice, wheat, maize and even vegetables by setting experimental plots and by arranging training for farmers but there is no such initiative from the government to encourage farmers to cultivate jute. Moreover, the government should procure jute like those of wheat and rice and price of jute should also be fixed aiming at a minimum profit for the cultivators. Besides the government, non-government organisations should also come forward to encourage farmers to cultivate jute.
Golam Sarwar Hossain, agrciulture extension officer of Raninagar upazila informed, jute belonged to Department of Jute Extension but in absence of the activity of DJE, officials of DAE were extending required support for the jute farmers. In this connection he said, by ensuring use of jute packages and jute bags everywhere, the demand as well as price of jute would increase and the farmers would also become encouraged to cultivate jute. He further said, the recent step of the government to mandatory use of environment friendly jute bags was encouraging jute farmers to cultivate jute.
Our Pabna correspondent adds: A makeshift jute market occupies Pabna-Rajshahi highway at Tebunia Bazar in Pabna sadar upazila two days a week, causing nuisance for a large number of people including students, office goers and farmers.
During weekly market days on Sunday and Wednesday, the market sees serious rush, leaving very little space for commuters and pedestrians due to presence of a large number of buyers and sellers and jute-laden four wheelers and horse carriages used by them. The market continues from 5:00am to noon.
The situation prevails for about four months from Sravan to Kartik (mid-August to mid-November) every year, often causing about one kilometre-long traffic congestion on the road for long, said traders at Tebunia Bazar.
There are several educational institutions, banks, government and non-government offices and a good number of permanent business set-ups in Tebunia Bazar and adjoining areas and the people concerned suffer much due to the situation, said locals.
Students, taking longer time to cross the jam-packed road, sometimes fail to attend their classes on time, said Md Nurul Islam, professor of Tebunia Shamsul Huda Degree College in the area.
The buyers often stack their purchased jute on the roadside while farmers, who take their produce by carriages to the road for sale, have to stay in the crowded market for long. Tired of waiting for long, they have to sell the item at lower than usual prices, said several local jute growers who came to the market to sell the produce.
During a visit to the market on Sunday morning, this correspondent saw huge rush and traffic jam on the road amid presence of jute-laden carriages brought by sellers and buyers.
"Often we sell jute at lower prices as there is not smooth environment and enough time to bargain with the buyers," said farmer Mokhtadir Rashid, 55. Several others including Md Rashed Ahmed, 46, Mohammad Ali, 55, and Johurul Islam, 48, echoed the same.
Many traders, who have regular shops on both sides of the road, alleged that they cannot run their business well as customers hardly visit their shops during the rush hours.
The local administration should take immediate steps to shift the jute market to any suitable place to ensure smooth movement for the commuters through the road and create a congenial atmosphere for the sale of the agro-product for fair prices, said stakeholders.
Rezaul Rahim Lal, Pabna Zila Parishad chairman, said he would discuss the issue with local stakeholders and shift the jutemarket to a suitable place as soon as possible.