Tangail has had a bumper jute crop this year, and from the start of the season farmers have been getting more for the "golden fibre" than last year. Growers say jute has done better than Boro rice in the district this year, and the agriculture department says it is giving jute farmers all-round support.

The area under jute in the district has fallen from last year, but favourable weather, improved seed and help from the agriculture department have produced a good yield. Last year, a water shortage meant many farmers could not ret their jute, and much of it was ruined, causing losses.

For the past few days farmers have been busy cutting jute, retting it, stripping the fibre from the sticks and drying it, with family members, especially women, helping. Many have already sold at good prices. But the rising cost of harvesting and the low water in the fields have caused them difficulty.

Farmers say jute has yielded 8 to 9 maunds a bigha this year. Last year a maund sold for Tk 2,500 to Tk 2,700; this year the price stands at Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,200. After losses last year, they are making a profit this season.

According to the agriculture department, jute was grown on 19,650 hectares in the district last year. This season's target was 19,818 hectares, and 18,361 hectares were actually sown. The production target has been set at 2,17,300 bales. Deshi, tossa, kenaf and mesta jute were grown, with the largest area in Bhuapur and the smallest in Dhanbari upazila.

By upazila, jute was grown on 3,375 hectares in Sadar, 480 in Basail, 1,170 in Kalihati, 790 in Ghatail, 1,860 in Nagarpur, 1,318 in Mirzapur, 163 in Madhupur, 3,915 in Bhuapur, 3,000 in Gopalpur, 275 in Sakhipur, 1,905 in Delduar and 110 in Dhanbari.

"I grew jute on 40 decimals this year. The market price is good and we are very happy. We are getting 8 to 9 maunds a bigha. Last year the jute rotted before it could be cut and we made a loss," Kazim Uddin, a farmer in Sadar upazila, told Jago News.

Another farmer, Aynal Haque, said: "I grew jute on 50 decimals, spending Tk 5,000 to Tk 7,000. There has been a bumper yield. I hope to get 15 to 16 maunds and sell it for about Tk 60,000. Jute has done better than Boro rice this year."

Farmer Nurnabi said: "We made a loss last year. This year the higher price means we are making money. Those who grew jute this time are getting a good yield and profiting. But the cost of growing jute is also higher, and often we cannot get enough water to ret it."

Labourer Abdur Rouf said he strips jute every day and earns Tk 500 a day.

"Tangail is one of the main jute-producing districts. Farmers are now getting good prices. We have given jute growers government incentives, free seed and other support. We expect jute production to rise this year," said Ashek Parvez, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in the district.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.