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High yield of jute this season compared to previous years fails to make Rajshahi farmers happy as they are facing huge trouble to rot and process raw jute in the absence of adequate water in water bodies (Beels) and canals.
Even jute stalks are drying up in the fields due to scorching heat, creating a concern for the jute growers.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Rajshahi, jute was cultivated on 19,600 hectares of land in Rajshahi, 442 hectares more than last year. But it is feared that the jute yield will be less due to less rainfall.
Farmers said if the water crisis continues for want of rain, they will have to incur heavy losses this season.
While visiting different areas of the district, this correspondent found that inadequate rainfall not only hampered the jute processing, but also damaged Aman seedbeds.
As the water bodies dried up, many farmers did not harvest jute due to lack of places to rot and many of those who have harvested their jute are compelled to dump those on the ground due to lack of water.
Talking to the farmers it is known that the occasional light to moderate rainfall has reduced the scorching heat to some extent, but it has not brought any benefit to jute and Aman paddy cultivation.
After harvesting jute, the farmers are supposed to cultivate Aman on that land. But due to lack of water, the jute plant is drying up on the ground.
Hamed Ali, a jute farmer of the Bholabari area of Paba, said that due to the absence of rain, water in the canals has dried up and there is a shortage of places for jute retting. Some are waiting for the rain.