Local jute farmers have become happy as they have got a satisfactory profit by selling the cash crop during this season.
Presently, growers earn a good price from both jute and jute sticks which is encouraging them to bring more land under its farming next season.
Sources at the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Rangpur said this season jute was cultivated on around 54,000 hectares of land in five districts of Rangpur region.
The production target was about 6 lakh 66 thousand 54 bales of jute. The districts are Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat.
Sources said at least 55 to 58 maunds of jute can be produced on one hectare of land.
Presently, per maund jute is being sold at Tk 2,700 to Tk 3,000 at different markets which was Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500 last year.
On the other hand, per maund of jute sticks is being sold at Tk 400 to Tk 500.
During a visit to different areas, this FE correspondent found jute growers passing busy time processing their harvested jute in different water bodies.
Expressing satisfaction, Bhuben, a jute cultivator of Nabdiganj area of Pirgachha upazila in Rangpur district told The Financial Express that he cultivated jute on two acres of land this season and got around 45 maunds of produce.
He earned around Tk 131,000 by selling jute. He expects sales of around 70 maunds of jute sticks from the same quantity of land and its cost is expected to be about Tk 35,000, he added.
Md Hamidul, another grower in Ranipukur area of Mithapukur Upazila in Rangpur, told the FE at the initial stage of farming, peasants became dejected to behold nature’s antagonistic behaviour because a drought-like situation was witnessed in the region.
But, subsequently, adequate rainfall came as a blessing to the cultivators and helped them get rid of their pessimism and melancholy.
He said he cultivated jute on 02 bighas of land this year and is also optimistic about earning a good profit.
“Jute growers can earn from selling both jute and jute sticks. So, its farming is lucrative.”
Deputy Director at Burirhat Horticulture Centre in Rangpur of the DAE, Agriculturist Md Abu Sayem said as the growers are earning good profit from jute farming, they are getting encouraged to cultivate the crop next season as well. The growers are given necessary support and advices in this regard.
Meanwhile, jute growers of the region are retting their jute, using traditional method in different water bodies instead of using ribbon retting method.
Talking to The Financial Express, Agriculturist Md. Enamul Haque, District Training Officer, DAE, Rangpur said due to reluctance of the peasants, the technology is yet to be introduced among them.
He said ribbon retting method requires less quantity of water than traditional method. But, growers show their unwillingness to use this method, considering the traditional method easier than it, he added.