Fair prices delight jute farmers in Chandpur

After a few years, farmers of the district wear smiles on their faces as they are getting pretty fair prices of their hard-produced jute at the time of selling it to the big merchants in the weekly marketplaces here.

The demand for jute is on increase across the country as the government is laying special emphasis on using jute goods avoiding random use of environmentally hazardous non-biodegradable polythene bags.

Many small and marginal farmers are seen to sell their jute at Tk3,450-3800 per maund at different haats and bazaars in the district.

In Bakila Bazar, (an all-time busy and bustling commercial hub in the district, just beside Chandpur-Cumilla Regional Highway) under Hajiganj upazila on Saturday, veteran jute trader Momin Khan (55) in presence of his brother Mofij Khan (50) and a daily worker, all residents of Bakila village, told the FE, "This year jute price is too much high in the district; at least Tk3,450 per maund."

He said, "This year huge money is needed to buy jute at prohibitive prices from marginal farmers, which we cannot afford with our limited capital."

Talking to the FE, Momin Khan, who has 40 years' experience in jute trading, also said he had purchased about 600 maunds of jute (Tosha and Shuti varieties) from small farmers in the past three months on the weekly haat days. He has stockpiled the purchased jute in his warehouse at Bakila Bazar.

Momin added, "There is an acute scarcity of jute this year as many growers have avoided cultivating it due to low prices last year and the year before. But this year farmers are wearing big smiles on their faces and looking so excited after selling their jute. Every day, from morning till night we eagerly wait to buy jute from the small and marginal farmers but often we get disappointed."

On the other hand, renowned merchants - Mokles Mia and Mojammel Hossain have bought huge amounts of jute worth several lakh taka from small and marginal farmers this season at Mohamaya Bazar under Chandpur Sadar upazila.

Nolu Mia, a jute trader in Munshirhat, said, "The same situation of high prices and scarcity of jute are also prevailing in Munshirhat Bazar-a growing commercial hub, and Narayanpur Bazar, - both under Matlab Dakhshin upazila.

Yunus Miji and Atiqur Rahman of Chandra Bazar- a famous rural commercial hub covering Faridganj Upazila, also echoed the same about high prices of jute.

Talking to the FE in Bakila Bazar on weekly haat day on Monday, elderly and veteran farmers- Bachchu Miaji (64), Tajul Islam Bepari,(60)- both from Kamranga village under Rampur union of Chandpur Sadar upazila, and Billal Hossain Bhuian (55) from Betihara village and Masud Alam from Bakila village said they will grow more and more jute in the coming season.

Contacted, Faridganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Kishore Kollol told the FE, in Faridganj, a total of 147 hectares of land were brought under jute cultivation this season, although the target was 145 hectares in 16 unions of the upazila. The jute growers are getting good prices of their produce his season.

Agriculture expert Mobarak Hossain on behalf of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Chandpur, told the FE, "Due to the low prices of jute in the past few years, the farmers became disheartened and they incurred huge losses financially too. That is why most farmers remained aloof from jute production this year. As a result, jute production has declined largely in the district paving the way for its high price in the open markets. It has brought big smiles for the jute growers."

Last year, the jute growers got around Tk1,600 per maund. They did not get production cost even. The year before, they got Tk2,500 or Tk3,000 per maund. But this year, they could make a handsome profit from jute sale.

According to the statistics of the DAE, Chandpur, there are as many as 27,870 jute farmers in the district. Agriculture expert Mobarak Hossain said this year the total yield of jute has been 4137.3645 tonnes whereas it was 6,332 tonnes last year.

This bears ample testimony to the fact that jute cultivation area and jute yield are declining fast in the district. However, in order to overcome the situation, the officials concerned must motivate farmers about it in the coming season. Because the government is laying much importance on using jute goods and jute bags to ensure healthy environment.

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