Home ›› 21 Sep 2021 ›› Nation
Despite bumper production, jute farmers in Faridpur are now in utter despair as the prices for the cash crop are dropped this season compared to previous years.
The farmers in the district alleged that they are not being able to sell their crop at desired prices, firstly, because the government has not set a minimum price, and secondly, because their investment this year was also higher.
Apart from this, as the government decided to shut down six state-owned jute mills in the country, the traders – who used to buy a large volume of jute from the farmers and sell it to the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) – have become unwilling and scarce, which is largely affecting the jute trade this season.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension Faridpur branch, a total of 85,770 hectares of land were used for jute cultivation with a target of 10,52,000 bales (one bale equivalent to 180 kilogrammes) in the 2021-22 fiscal year.
As the weather was favourable, the production might exceed the target, they said.
Farmers of Nagarkanda, Saltha, Boalmari upazilas told The Business Post they had a good production this year. However, at the beginning of the season, the farmers had to irrigate their croplands multiple times, which increased their cost.
Adding to that, they said the farmhands were not available this year due the Covid-19 pandemic and had to spend more to lease them, which also had contributed to the higher production cost.
Visiting the local markets of Kanaipur, Satoir, Krishtapur, Nagarkanda and Saltha, The Business Post has found that farmers were selling each maund of jute between Tk 2,600 and Tk 2,300.
Rathindranath Sikder Nipu, jute trader of Kanaipur Bazar in Sadar upazila of Faridpur, told The Business Post that they had bought each maund of jute for Tk 4000.
“Last year, maund jute was sold at Tk 5,000,” he added.
Addressing the reason behind the fall in marketable jute in the local market this season, Nipu said that farmers are stocking the cash crop in their stores.
Ashutosh Malo, a resident of Ghoshpur area of Boalmari, said despite a bumper yield they are not getting reasonable prices for the crop.
Nasir Uddin, another farmer of Saltha upazila told The Business Post the government should fix a price for jute as they do for rice and other crops.
“So, even if the prices fall for some reason, the farmers get a reasonable price for their product,” he added.
“If I keep getting current prices, I will not cultivate jute on my land next season. The production cost is high, and we have to work so hard for it without getting a reasonable return,” said Mazed Miah, a farmer of Khalilpur.
Kalam Hossain, a farmer of Sadar upazila told The Business Post, “I know about the price fall this season that is why I was waiting to sell my stock until the price increases. However, I have become destitute and came to sell the crop in the market.”
“We are getting Tk 300 to Tk 400 less than our production cost, but bound to sell the crop as I have lost all my capital and have to provide food for my family,” added Kalam.
Echoing his remarks, jute trader Md Garibullah told The Business Post that he had taken a loan and stockpiled a large volume of jute paying higher prices to the farmers. However, it is higher than the present market price, and he is going to face a huge loss.
“I do not know how will I repay my loans and provide salaries of my employees,” added Garibullah.
Addressing these issues, Agriculturist Dr Hazrat Ali, deputy-director of Faridpur DAE, told The Business Post that the farmers are getting less price than the production cost because the market is unstable right now.
He further said that they would try to inspect the local markets and look into the matter.
