Dry spell drives up jute-retting costs in Rajshahi 

BAGHA, RAJSHAHI, Aug 2: Jute farmers in Bagha Upazila of Rajshahi are paying Tk 2,000 per bigha to use privately managed ponds for retting their crops as prolonged dry weather has left natural water bodies without enough water.

With insufficient rainfall this season, many ponds and ditches have failed to retain the water needed for retting jute. As a result, farmers have been forced to rent ponds, adding to their production costs.

One such initiative has come from Jillu Sardar of Gochar village under Arani Municipality. Using a shallow pump, he has filled his pond with water and made it available for farmers to ret their jute in exchange for Tk 2,000 per bigha.

Farmers said the arrangement has become their only practical option.

Amirul Islam, a farmer from Chakpara Village, said he cultivated jute on one bigha of land but could not ret the harvested crop due to the lack of water.

"After harvesting, I learned that Jillu Sardar had prepared his pond by pumping in water. I paid Tk 2,000 to ret my jute there. Many other farmers are also using the same pond," he said.

Jillu Sardar said many farmers had approached him seeking water for retting.

"There has been little rainfall for a long time. I used my shallow pump to fill the pond and allowed farmers to use it under a fixed arrangement," he said.

Farmers said cultivating one bigha of jute costs around Tk 7,000 to Tk 8,000, including land preparation, seed, irrigation, fertiliser, harvesting and processing.

Mokul Hossain, a farmer from Digha Village, said one bigha of land is producing around 10 to 12 maunds of jute this season. Newly harvested jute is currently selling for Tk 3,400 to Tk 3,600 per maund at local markets, he added.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Shafiullah Sultan said some farmers were renting ponds for retting, increasing their production costs.

"There is little alternative under the current weather conditions. Some additional expenses are unavoidable when cultivating crops," he said.

According to the agriculture office, jute has been cultivated on 5,248 hectares of land in Bagha Upazila this season.