Jute cultivation falls in 10 southwestern dists

According to sources at the Divisional Office of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), 84,280 hectares of land have so far been brought under jute cultivation in ten southwestern districts this season, which is 23,100 hectares less than last year's. The sowing season is virtually over. Jute can be sown till the end of April.

Mainly two varieties of jute, locally known as Deshi (Chorchorous Capsularies) and Tossa (Chorchorous Olitorius) are cultivated in the country.

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Of the total area in Khulna division this year, 83500 hectares have been brought under Tossa and 780 under Deshi in the ten districts.

The sources said besides scarcity and high price of seed, there is a fear of low price of jute among farmers, who did not get fair price in consecutive years earlier.

Sources in Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and DEA said 64,4280 kilograms of seeds of both Tossa and Deshi varieties were need for 1,07, 380 hectares of land in the ten districts. But the government supplied only 30,487 kilograms in the division this season.

Mozammel Haq, Deputy Director of BADC's seed wing in Kushtia Zone said the government failed to procure seeds from farmers due to flood last year. "This was another cause of short supply of jute seeds this year," he said. This resulted in scarcity and high price of seed.

Farmers in the area bought seeds mainly from markets. Most the seeds available in the markets were smuggled from across the border and were of inferior quality, many farmers told this correspondent. Farmers who could not procure jute seeds went for cultivation of other crops like maize, rice and vegetables, they said.

According to farmers, Tossa varieties O-4, 0-9897 and O-M1 are most popular in this region, known for growing the high quality jute.

According to DEA statistics, the district wise breakup of sowing is 460 and 40 hectares under Tossa and Deshi varieties in Khulna, 160 and 390 in Bagerhat, 7000 and 10 in Satkhira, 10,000 and 60 in Jessore, 10,000 and 20 in Jhenidah, 9120 and 290 Deshi in Narail, 10,960 and 30 in Kushtia. Mainly Tossa variety has been sown on 10750 hectares in Magura, 14200 in Chuadanga and 10700 hectares in Meherpur district.