Jute price fall frustrates farmers of Madhukhali

Madhukhali (Faridpur) Correspondent :
Due to lack of rain at the beginning of the season in Madhukhali upazila, jute farmers had to face the dilemma of raising jute. The very late rains alleviated that problem somewhat. Despite the change in the weather, jute cultivation and yield has been good this year. The color of the jute was not good due to insufficient water. As a result farmers are not getting much price in the market. Farmers are not happy as the price has decreased Tk200-300 per maun in market compared to last market.
Jute traders of Madhukhali market Shah Murad Hossain and Md. Pannu Molya said that if the mill buys jute regularly, the price of jute will remain stable. But after reducing purchase of jute, the price will come down. At the beginning of the jute cutting season, the prices had gone up.
It was sold at Tk 3,000 to Tk 3,200 in the last market, now market has reduced its price to Tk 2,500 to Tk 2,800. However, many farmers are keeping the jute back at home in the hope of higher prices.
Kushai Kumar, a jute farmer of Pach Korkadi village of Korkadi union of the upazila, said that he spent 18 thousand taka to grow jute on two bigha land. 20 maunds of jute have been grown in that land.
He sold a few maunds of jute at the rate of Tk 2,500. Left some jute at home for more price.
Abdul Hai Bashin, a jute farmer of Ward No. 2 of the municipality, said that the farmer spends about three thousand taka to produce a single piece of jute. But the farmer is selling that jute from Tk 2500 to 2700 per maund and many farmers are not satisfied with the price of jute and are taking the jute back home.
At present, the price of jute is high and due to lack of good water in time, the mass quality of jute has also lost. Due to which the price of jute is a little less.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Albir Rahman said that this year the target of jute cultivation was 8,500 hectares. Cultivated in 8 thousand 555 hectares. Due to good seed and favorable environment, more jute cultivation has been done in 55 hectares of land than the target. Although the yield of jute is good, the farmers have to bear the risk of growing jute due to lack of timely rain. Farmers would have benefited if the prices were good.