Jute farmers in Narail are struggling as prices of the crop have fallen by around Tk1,000 per maund in just 15 days.
According to sources, jute that fetched Tk4,200-Tk4,600 per maund at the beginning of the season is now selling for Tk3,200-Tk3,600, depending on quality, leaving farmers worried about recovering their production costs.
Farmers said the cost of cultivation has risen at every stage, including land preparation, seed, fertiliser, irrigation, weed control, harvesting, retting, fibre extraction, washing, drying and transportation.
Rising labour and transport costs have further increased production expenses, making it difficult for farmers to make a reasonable profit at current market prices.
According to the district agriculture office, jute has been cultivated on 23,517 hectares in Narail this season, with a production target of 58,198 tonnes. Harvesting has already been completed on around 98% of the cultivated land.
The large volume of newly harvested jute entering the market at the same time has increased supply, putting downward pressure on prices.
At Tularampur and Mithapur haats, two of the district's major jute markets, farmers were seen bringing jute from different areas from early morning.
Traders were assessing the jute based on its colour, fibre quality, moisture content and drying condition before setting prices. After negotiations, the purchased jute was being transported to warehouses.
Abdul Halim, a jute farmer from Itna, said he received a good price at the beginning of the season but is now struggling to sell his produce at a profitable rate.
“We are facing the same costs we incurred during cultivation, but the price of jute has fallen sharply. If prices continue to decline, we may not even recover our production costs,” he said.
Some farmers alleged that a section of middlemen and traders were taking advantage of increased supply to buy jute at lower prices. They called for regular market monitoring to ensure fair competition.
Farmers have also complained about irregularities in weighing.
According to them, although a maund is conventionally considered to be 40kg, some buyers are allegedly counting 42kg as one maund. This means farmers have to provide an additional 2kg of jute for every maund, further increasing their losses.
The farmers fear prices could fall further as more jute reaches the market. They said prolonged low prices could discourage farmers from cultivating jute in the future.
The district agriculture office said supply has increased as harvesting has nearly finished across the district. It stressed the need to ensure fair prices for farmers.
Farmers have called for stronger market monitoring, accurate weighing and effective measures to ensure they receive a fair price for their produce.
Narail Deputy Commissioner Dr Mohammad Abdul Salam said the administration was monitoring the jute market.
He said action would be taken if any syndicate or market manipulation was found to be harming farmers.
“The complaints regarding weighing will also be investigated. If any irregularity or manipulation is found, legal action will be taken,” he said.
Mohammad Arifur Rahman, deputy director of the DAE in Narail, said both cultivation and yield have been good this year.
“Favourable weather and timely support from the agriculture department, including quality seeds, fertiliser and technical advice, have contributed to good cultivation and yield,” he said.
However, he acknowledged that fluctuations in jute prices are worrying farmers. “We are regularly advising farmers on improving the quality of jute fibre,” he said.
