Jute farmers fear low prices despite bumper harvest in Faridpur, Rajbari

Farmers in Faridpur and Rajbari districts are witnessing a bumper jute harvest this season, though many remain worried about getting fair price due to high production costs.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), around 133,276 hectares of land have been brought under jute cultivation in the two districts this year, an increase of about 2,000 hectares compared to last year.

In Faridpur alone, nearly 75% of the district’s arable land has been used for jute farming, directly or indirectly engaging over 500,000 farmers. The DAE estimates that production may exceed 200,000 tonnes if favourable weather continues, with a potential market value of more than Tk2,000 crore.

Md Shahaduzzaman, Deputy Director of the Faridpur DAE, said, “This season’s adequate rainfall has ensured sufficient water for retting, which will improve both the quality and colour of the fibre. We are optimistic about a high-quality harvest.”

In Rajbari, jute cultivation has also surpassed targets, with 47,276 hectares under cultivation, 800 hectares more than last year. However, farmers there say that early-season drought forced them to rely on irrigation, raising production costs significantly.

“Each maund (37.3 kg) of jute now costs over Tk3,500 to produce,” said local growers. “If the price falls below Tk5,000 per maund, we will face heavy losses.”

Farmers in low-lying areas of Rajbari are facing further challenges, as stagnant water has stunted crop growth and harvesting requires more labour. A single agricultural labourer is paid Tk700–800 per day, and harvesting one bigha of jute requires 10 to 12 labourers, they said.

Despite these hurdles, agricultural officials remain hopeful. Jony Khan, agriculture officer of Rajbari Sadar upazila, said, “Frequent rainfall has kept canals and wetlands full, reducing irrigation needs for retting. This has lowered costs, and we expect farmers will get fair prices for their produce.”