Although the farmers of six Jashore regional districts witnessing the prolonged drought was in dilemma whether their jute production might be achieved in the season or not, the monthlong rainfall in Bengali month Ashar had removed the agony.
Now the smiles in the face of the farmers were resumed when the jute plots had turned greenish and leaning with the winds.
But the day labourer charges for cutting the green jute sticks have been making them disappointed when they have to pay Taka 800 to 900 a day. It is almost 50 percent addition to previous season, said the farmers.
Rahmat Ali, a farmer of village Maharajpur in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila said tender jute plants on hos 10 decimals of land was badly damaged and dried on the land due to heavy drought in the initial stage. Remaining 50 decimals were surviving anyway. But the scenario was started changing when the rain was almost available si0nce first week of Bengali month Asharh. Now the standing jute is strengthening the mental force of the farmers. Thery have been expecting better yield this season ignoring all barriers, Rahmat Ali said.
Manirul Islam of Khalishpur area in bordering Moheshpur upazila in Jhenaidah when contacted said they have been facing day labourer crisis to cut the sticks for rotten.
The labour charge was increased to taka 900 a working day for six hours which was almost 600 in the last season. He is expecting 12 to 13 maunds of jute fibre from his plot, Manirul Islam said. According to a source related to the office of the additional director of the department of agriculture extension (DAE) in Jashore region said, the farmers in six Jashore regional districts have brought 159,730 hectares of land as against the DAE target for producing 2158,416 bales of jute fibre on 170,124 hectares of land. Average yield on each hectare was estimated for 12.686 bales. Farmers in the region had produced 2435,176 Bakes of fibre on their 169,328 hectares of land in the last season. Average yield on each hectare was 14.376 bales. District wise achievement of jute farming was 25,400 hectares in Jashore, 22,524 hectares in Jhenaidah, 35,595 hectares in Magura, 37,742 hectares in Kushtia, 16,578 hectares in Chuadanga and 22,000 hectares of land in Meherpur.
DAE additional director in Jashore region Abu Hossain when contacted said a portion of the jute plots in the region was affected due to severer drought since sowing of seeds. But the luck of the farmers favoured them while the long-cherished rainfall started showering in the past first week of Bengali month Asharh.
Now the rain has been showering anytime in the region and the standing jute plants grown greener. Although the area of operation was reduced partially, the yield might be optimum and the farmers are going to reap additional fibre in the season, additional director expressed his hope.
