Rajshahi district is witnessing a bumper jute production season, creating a potential market worth around Tk 549 crore. Favorable weather conditions, increased cultivation, and higher market prices have contributed to this promising scenario. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) reports that the district is expected to produce approximately 49,000 tonnes of jute this season, with market prices ranging from Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,300 per maund.
Bumper Production and Higher Prices
This robust production and price increase are expected to inject fresh dynamism into the rural economy, boosting farmers' incomes and stimulating local markets. Jute cultivation has expanded across all nine upazilas of the district, covering 18,399 hectares, up from 17,305 hectares last year. The DAE had set a production target of 49,000 tonnes, slightly higher than last year's 48,677 tonnes.
Harvesting and fibre extraction have been completed on around 82 percent of the cultivated land, yielding nearly 48,200 tonnes of jute. Officials anticipate that total production will exceed the target once the remaining land is processed. Favorable weather, adequate rainfall, and intensive farmer care have all contributed to this higher yield.
Economic Impact and Farmer Satisfaction
The market situation has encouraged growers, with jute selling for Tk 4,000 to Tk 4,300 per maund in local markets and reaching up to Tk 5,000 in some cases. Mita Sarkar, Additional Deputy Director (Crops) of the Rajshahi District Department of Agricultural Extension, attributes the increased cultivation and production to government incentives and timely supply of improved-quality seeds and fertilizers.
Jute farmers in Rajshahi are expressing satisfaction with the current market situation. Shafiqul Islam, a jute farmer from Monigram area of Bagha upazila, noted that both yield and price are favorable this year, allowing him to expect a good profit after meeting production costs. Other farmers like Abdul Matin and Rabiul Islam also highlighted the benefits of adequate rainfall and good market prices.
Dr. Rafiqul Islam, former professor of Economics at Rajshahi University, believes that increased jute production and better prices send a positive signal for the rural economy. He emphasized the need to reduce the influence of middlemen and expand direct marketing and government-supported storage facilities to ensure farmers receive the full benefit. The jute produced in Rajshahi not only meets local demand but also supplies major jute-product manufacturing companies and contributes to the country's foreign-exchange earnings through exports.
