Jute farmers in Kurigram are not getting fair prices for their produce in the local markets
in absence of sufficient buyers.
Tosha variety jute is now selling for average Tk1000 per maund.
As a result, the growers are left to suffer a loss of Tk300-Tk400 per maund.
Though seven government purchase centers are supposed to run in the district, they
cannot buy jute in full swing due to lack of fund.
Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Kurgram said jute was
cultivated on 24 thousand hectares of land in nine upazilas of the district during the
current season.
Production target was fixed at 2.5 lakh bales.
Due to favourable weather, production of the golden fibre was good this year, and the
supply was also huge in the markets consequently.
But for want of sufficient number of buyers, farmers are not getting the actual price.
They are getting frustrated at the possible loss and failure to recover the production cost.
During a visit to Sadar upazila’s Jatrapur haat, a famous market of jute, a good number of
growers were seen sitting disheartened with huge raw jute unsold.
Farmer Haider Ali of Nunkhaoa came to the haat for selling his 30 maunds of jute and
Nasar Uddin 10 maunds of jute but buyers even did not try to Bargain their prices.
Abdul Huq of Narayanpur sold his 14 maunds of jute at Tk 1100 while per maund
production cost was 1400.
Government jute buying centres under Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation have
outstanding loan of over Tk five crore last year.
This year no allocation of money was made.
Therefore, the centers have not yet started buying jute in full swing.
Manager of Platinum Jute Mills in Kurigram Rois Uddin said about Tk 1.5 crore remains
outstanding but no new allocation was made.
Buying centres of Crescent, Star, Latif Bawani and Eastern have the same tales to tell.
Chief Jute Inspector Abdul Qader said quality of jute has been bad due to drought this
year.
Besides, the government buying centres have not yet started jute purchase fully.
As a result, the jute market is dull.
He hoped that the situation would improve when all buying centres will start jute
purchase fully. -UNB, Kurigram
