Bumper jute output likely in N dists

Farmers got good quality seeds from BADC (Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation) seed dealers.

Early rainfall helped good growth of plants. Weather condition was favourale for plants throughout the country during the whole season, they told the BSS roving correspondent. Reports from other areas are also ver good, they added.

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The recent flash floods in some districts did not hamper jute production. This in fact will help post-harvest processing. Harvest will start from the middle of this month and there is enough water everywhere for rotting jute plants, sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said.

The production target of 55,90,000 bales of jute from 5,25,000 hectares of land in the country will be achieved this year, they said.

Of these, 37,40,000 bales of Tosha' variety will be produced from 3,40,000 hectares and 18,50,000 bales of indigenous variety from 1,85,000 hectares in all 64 district.

The target in the 16 northern districts is 16,89,890 bales from 1,60,680 hectares, they said.

While travelling some areas of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Bogra, Natore, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram districts recently, jute growers were found happy and preparing for harvest.

Talking to BSS, a number of jute growers of the region said that there was no scarcity of good quality jute seeds this year.

They said they were encouraged to cultivate more jute this year as they got fair prices in the last two consecutive seasons.

"We sold jute at between Tk 480 and Tk 580 per mound in the last two seasons. We also sell jute straw at good prices", one farmer said. Jute straw is used to produce particle board.

Officials said prospect of jute brightened in the country after ban on use of polythene. Raw jute plants are used to produce paper.

They said environment friendly jute is also in good demand abroad.