Farmers very happy with jute yield, price

Only jute and jute all over the field. Farmers are busy cutting, threshing and removing the golden jute. Cultivation is increasing as the demand for jute is high and profitable. The yield has also increased in Hossainpur due to favorable weather conditions.

According to the Agriculture Department, this year 4,700 metric tons of jute was produced in the upazila.

Golden jute was cultivated in more than the target amount in various villages and remote char areas of Hossainpur upazila of Kishoreganj. The yield of golden jute is likely to be higher as the cost of fertilizers, seeds and other ancillary products is low in the country. Local jute farmers believe that the golden jute will return to its glory days as the price of jute is higher in the country’s markets and the yield of jute is higher at lower cost.

According to the agricultural office sources, the target for jute cultivation this year was set at 2,340 hectares of land in flat and uneven land in various villages and char areas in 6 unions of the upazila and one municipality. However, jute cultivation was on more land than this target.

Of these, 2,000 hectares are of domestic jute, 300 hectares of Tosha variety and 40 hectares of other varieties of jute. Good jute is being sold at 3,600 to 3,900 taka per maund in these markets, while low-quality jute is being sold at 3,000 to 3,500 taka in these markets.

However, people are not happy with the price of jute. Last year, the price of jute was 2,700-2,900 taka per maund depending on the quality, but this time it has increased to 3,500-3,900 taka. As a result, they are getting a profit of 1,300 to 1,400 taka per maund. Farmers say that the cost of production has also increased.

The cost per maund has increased by 200-250 taka only due to the increase in labor wages. Previously, the cost of producing jute per maund was around 2300 taka, now it has increased to 2500-2700 taka. Khokon Member, a trader in Hossainpur Bazar, said, “Last week, the price per maund was 3600 taka, this time it has increased slightly to 3700-3800 taka.

However, farmers are still able to sell jute at a good price.” However, many farmers are afraid that if the supply increases, the price may fall. Saiful Islam, a jute farmer from the village of Jinari Union in the upazila, Mofiz Uddin, a jute farmer from Saheb Char village in Sidla Union, Helal Uddin from Char Biswanathpur village and many others said that compared to other agricultural crops, the cost of cultivating jute is less and the market price of jute is higher.

There has been a bumper harvest of jute. If the market price of jute continues like this, there will be a large-scale harvest of jute in the future, they said. In this regard, Upazila Agriculture Officer and Agriculturist Sheikh Mohammad Mohsin said, “Due to favorable weather conditions, jute was cultivated in the upazila more than our target and the harvest has also been massive.

He also said that the good times of jute will return in the upazila as the price of jute is satisfactory this year.”