The farmers are expecting bumper jute production in Rangpur agriculture region this season despite a little shortfall in the farming target as the harvest of the fibre crop will begin from July, official sources said.
Horticulture Specialist of the Agriculture Extension (DAE) Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam told BSS that the tender jute plants have been growing excellent amid favourable climatic condition predicting bumper output of the crop.
According to the DAE sources, the farmers have cultivated jute on 61,958 hectares of land this season in the region, 2,143 hectares less than the fixed target of producing 6.95 lakh bales of the fibre from 64,101 hectares of land.
Of the fixed target, the farmers were to produce 6.41 lakh bales of ‘Tosha’ variety jute fibre from 58,350 lakh hectares of land and 53,255 bales of ‘Deshi’ variety fibre from 5,751 hectares of land in Rangpur agriculture region this season.
However, the farmers have cultivated ‘Tosha’ variety jute on 57,233 hectares of land and ‘Deshi’ variety on 4,725 hectares of land in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts under Rangpur agriculture region this season.
Using the latest technologies, the farmers have mostly cultivated jute using only 2 kg seed per acre using the Six Line Pick Up Jute Seeding Method though they generally use 2.5 to 3.5 kg seed per acre using the decades-old traditional methods. Adviser- Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr MA Mazid said jute farming has attained new dimension for compulsory use of jute sacs, increased export and revival of closed jute mills, disbursement of incentives and other government steps.
Jute growers Farman Ali, Abdul Jabbar, Sukumar Roy, Abdus Salam, Shachindra Nath and many others said they have been expecting bumper jute output following excellent growth of their jute plants amid adequate rainfall this season.
They thanked the government for supplying quality jute seed, ribbon-retting machines and providing necessary training to ease the jute-rotting process even amid drought situation or water scarcity to get upgraded quality of the fibre.
Acting Rangpur Regional Additional Director of DAE SM Ashraf Ali said the government has provided necessary assistance to farmers through different departments to make the jute cultivation programme successful this season.
“The farmers are showing more interest now in jute cultivation with re-growing of local jute-based industries, compulsory use of jute sacs and increasing exports and huge demand of the eco- friendly fibre at international markets“, he added. —BSS
