Farmers are worried about the price of jute while harvesting has started in Rajshahi region.
Jute mills and agricultural associates have said low prices due to the cultivation of jute is low comparing the last year.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Rajshahi district said the target of jute cultivation that this year was 13,915 hectares. It has been cultivated in 12,825 hectares of land whereas the production target was 1,44,281 bales (about 200 kg per bales).
Farmer Shamsuddin of Darusha village of Paba upazila said a farmer spent 9 to 10 thousand taka for cultivating jute in a bigha. Farmer may get 8 maunds of jute per bigha land if there is good crop. In the last market, the per maund jute was sold at Tk 1100 to 1200. The farmers had to bear losses of Tk 1000-1200 per bigha.
Local farmers are losing their interest in jute cultivation if they cannot afford the cost of production.
Rajshahi Deputy Director (DD) Dev Dulal Dhali said that the target of jute cultivation in Rajshahi was 13,915 ha this year. But the cultivation has been done on 12,825 ha of land. Since last year's price was not good, the cultivation is less than the target.
AIMD
