The government has distributed high-quality jute and Aush (Ufshi) seed and fertilisers worth around Tk1,64,62,000 among 37,600 farmers in a bid to increase jute and Ufshi Aush cultivation and production in four districts of the Khulna agricultural region.
With a view to increasing jute cultivation and production, a total of 20,000 small and marginal farmers in four districts of the division have received jute seeds free of charge as an agricultural incentive worth Tk44.5 lakh under the Incentive and Rehabilitation programme for jute cultivation in the current season (Kharif-1).
Besides, a total of 17,600 small and marginal farmers in four districts of the division got Ufshi Aush seed and fertilisers free of charge as an agricultural incentive worth Tk1,20,12,000 under the same programme for Ufshi Aush farming in the agricultural zone.
According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) of the Khulna region, 1,000 farmers were given jute seeds as incentives worth Tk2.23 lakh in Khulna, while 1,000 farmers got the seeds worth Tk2.22 lakh in Bagerhat, 6,000 farmers got seeds worth Tk13.35 lakh in Satkhira, and 12,000 farmers were given seeds worth Tk26.7 lakh in Narail under the agricultural incentives programme free of charge.
On the other hand, a total of 2,600 farmers were given Ufshi Aush seeds and fertilisers as incentives worth Tk17.74 lakh in Khulna district, while 4,000 farmers got the seeds and fertilisers worth Tk27.3 lakh in Bagerhat, 5,400 farmers got seeds and fertilisers worth Tk36.86 lakh in Satkhira, and 5,600 farmers were given seeds and fertilisers worth Tk38.22 lakh in Narail under the agricultural incentive programme free of charge, the DAE office said.
Talking to BSS, Additional Director of the DAE in Khulna Zone Mohon Kumar Ghosh said on Saturday, “A total of 20,000 small and marginal farmers have received the incentives for jute cultivation, and 17,600 farmers have received them for Ufshi Aush cultivation under the incentive and rehabilitation programme (Kharif-1 season) in the 2023–24 fiscal year (FY).”
The government has distributed the jute seeds free of charge with a view to increasing its farming in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, and Narail districts under the Khulna agricultural zone, Mohon Kumar said, adding, “Each farmer gets one kilogramme (KG) of jute seeds for cultivation of one bigha of land.”
“The present government provides seed and fertilisers as incentives to encourage farmers to cultivate all types of crops,” the DAE official said.
The field-level agricultural officers will provide all kinds of cooperation to the farmers to complete the cultivation and production of jute and Ufshi Aush successfully, he added.