As jute price has decreased compared to the beginning of the season in the local markets of Meherpur, farmers now depend on jute sticks for avoiding losses.
The growers said the production cost of jute has risen several times this year due to lack of rain in the current season and the rising costs of labour and pesticides, but the price of jute has fallen.
However, farmers are now looking towards jute sticks to overcome losses as the demand for jute sticks has increased significantly due to its different types of uses.
They said the cost of jute cultivation has gone up this year due to lack of rain. Apart from this, the costs of labour and pesticides have increased and additional money has to be paid for retting jute plants in ponds. As a result, the production cost of jute has increased several times compared to the past.
On the contrary, the price of the cash crop has decreased a lot. Jute plants of many people still remain in the field due to lack of place for jute retting. Therefore, most of the jute farmers are digging holes and watering the jute plants through water pumps. As a result of which the colour of jute fibre is lost, its market price is decreasing. So, farmers are now giving more importance to jute sticks to compensate the loss of jute fibre.
Mamun Hossain, a jute grower of Jhoraghat village under Gangni upazila in the district, said the price of new jute in the market is currently Tk 1,500 to Tk 1,600 per maund. “About 130 bundles of jute sticks are produced from each bigha of land. When there is demand, we sell jute sticks at Tk 40-45 per bundle. We get about Tk 5,500 from jute sticks.”
Ismail, a jute grower of Bashbaria village under Gangni upazila, said about 13 maunds of jute are produced from each bigha of land in their area. “As there is a river in our area, we can easily ret jute plants. The colours of jute fibre and jute sticks also remain good. We get good prices due to their nice colours. We sell jute sticks for Tk 7,000 to 8,000 on per bigha of land. This year, by cultivating jute on one bigha of land, it is costing about Tk 17,000. We get around Tk 18,000 by selling jute fibre. So, we now rely on jute sticks.”
Rabiul Islam, a betel leaf grower, said, “There is no alternative to jute sticks in the betel leaf cultivation. Starting from the fence and canopy of the betel garden, jute sticks are needed to keep the betel plants standing in a row. If we see tall varieties of jute in the field, then we pay Tk 8,000 to Tk 9,000 per bigha for jute sticks. In this way, we get good jute sticks while the farmers get some of the money for cultivation in advance.”
Jute trader Shahidul Islam said, “We have a lot of last year's jute stored in our warehouse. As the price was low, I could not sell it at a low price. Last year I bought jute from Tk 2,400 to Tk 2,600 per maund, but now that jute is being sold at Tk 1,800 to Tk 1,900. And at the beginning of this season, I bought new jute for Tk 2,000 but its market price is now running from Tk 1,500 to Tk 1,600. In that case, we will have no choice but to drop this business due to losses.”
Meherpur District Agriculture Department Officer Bijay Krishna Halder said jute has been cultivated on 2,200 hectares of land in the district. Production cost has increased due to lack of rain and labour shortage in the district this season. Currently, the price of jute is a little low but it may rise any time.
Besides, the jute sticks that are obtained after removing jute fibres from plants are also in considerable demand locally. The market price of jute stick is also good. Jute sticks have been used in the country for a long time as fuel, fences for houses and vegetable fields, lofts, betel leaf gardens, etc.
