Rangpur: After completing harvest and fibre separation, enthusiastic farmers have produced 6,60,921 bales of jute in all five districts of Rangpur agricultural region during this season. Farmers are happy with the excellent jute yield and reaping superb profit from selling the fibre in local markets at rates between Taka 3,800 and Taka 4,200 per mound (every 40 kg) depending on varieties and quality.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials reported that the government had initially set a target to produce 7,09,799 bales of jute from 51,669 hectares of land for the region during the just-ended Kharif-1 season. However, farmers ultimately cultivated jute on 48,857 hectares, which is 2,812 hectares less than the target due to crop diversification and the cultivation of other crops on more land area.
Acting Additional Director of DAE for Rangpur region, Agriculturist Md Sirajul Islam, noted that farmers primarily focused on high-yielding varieties of jute despite the shortfall in the fixed target. The cultivation was spread across 9,450 hectares in Rangpur, 13,822 hectares in Gaibandha, 16,050 hectares in Kurigram, 3,915 hectares in Lalmonirhat, and 5,220 hectares in Nilphamari districts.
The DAE, along with the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation and Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, supported farmers with seeds, fertilizers, training, and technologies to boost jute farming and revitalize the crop’s past prominence. Dr Md Abu Sayem, Deputy Director of the DAE’s Burirhat Horticulture Centre in Rangpur, highlighted that farmers achieved a bumper jute output and enjoyed favorable market prices due to effective governmental measures.
Most farmers produced high-quality jute fiber by using water bodies for rotting harvested plants and adopting the ribbon retting method, despite reduced rainfall this season. The demand for jute has surged as mandatory use of jute bags in various sectors has made jute cultivation more profitable in recent years.
Farmers also benefit from jute cultivation as the leaves and deep roots left after harvesting decompose into organic fertilizer, enhancing soil health and fertility. Jute growers like Mansur Ali, Aftab Hossain, Mahbubul Islam, and Manik Mia from different villages in Sadar, Badarganj, and Mithapukur upazilas of Rangpur expressed satisfaction with their yield and sales, fetching prices between Taka 3,800 and Taka 4,200 per mound.