MANIKGANJ, May 16, 2020 (BSS) – A total of 3,396 hectares of land has been brought under Jute cultivation in all seven upazilas of the district with a production target of 44,620 bales during the current season.
Of those, 2756 hectares were brought under Tosha variety of jute with a production target of 37350 bales, 626 hectares under local variety with a production target of 5008 bales and 14 hectares under kenaf variety with a production target of 222 bales.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said cultivation of jute is increasing every year in the district as growers are getting fair price of their products.
They said farmers cultivated jute on 862 hectares of land in Manikganj Sadar upazila, 327 hectares in Saturia upazila, 950 hectares in Singair upazila, 302 hectares in Harirampur upazila, 235 hectares in Shibalaya upazila, 308 hectares in Ghior upazila and 412 hectares in Daulatpur upazila this season.
Abdus Salam (40), a farmer of Kangsha village under Singair upazila, said “We are interested in cultivating jute as it gives us cash money during the lean period. Sticks of jute are also used for different household purposes.”
Md. Hafijuddin, 52, of village Dashora under Manikganj Sadar upazila said “I cultivated jute in two bighas of land this year and it is growing well. I expect good production and I am waiting to get cash money selling jute to repay my bank loan.”
Md. Shahjahan Ali Biswas, Deputy Director of DAE, said the jute cultivators are interested in jute cultivation as they get good price of their products and they are getting all kinds of support from the government including quality seeds and fertilizers.