Favourable weather and the agriculture department's guidance have brought good times back to jute in Barishal this year: yields are up, prices are strong, and hundreds of farmers are seeing profit after years of losses. According to the district Department of Agricultural Extension, 12,511 hectares were planted against a target of 12,591, and jute has been harvested from 12,203 hectares so far.

By upazila the crop stands at 920 hectares in Sadar, 2,100 in Babuganj, 215 in Wazirpur, 4 in Bakerganj, 655 in Gournadi, 70 in Agailjhara, 3,170 in Muladi, 1,830 in Hizla, 3,490 in Mehendiganj and 52 in Banaripara. Alongside improved varieties, the high-yielding BINA Tossa Jute-1 developed by the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture has also yielded well; timely rain made retting easy, and the department says the fibre is bright and of excellent quality.

Jalil Chowkidar of Rafiadi village in Babuganj harvested about 50 maunds this season. Where jute sold at Tk 1,700–1,900 a maund last year, he told BSS, it now fetches Tk 3,200–4,000; farmers who had lost interest as prices fell are returning for the low cost, high yield and good margin. Rahim of Arji Kalikapur said the district's jute has its good days back, and grower Bachchu Khan said BINA Tossa Jute gave him 10–12 maunds a bigha at prices that finally cover his costs.

With the government clamping down on plastic goods and demand rising for jute sacks and other products, traders are competing to buy directly from farmers at good prices. Mosammat Mariam Begum, deputy director at the department's Khamarbari office in Barishal, told BSS that growers are being given a range of advice on the crop.

Based on BSS's special report from Barishal. Source: BSS