Sharsha upazila farmers benefited from the increase in the price of jute

In Jessore's Sharsha upazila, jute chalk is drying in the current season, farmers are benefiting as the price increases. This year there has been a good yield of golden fiber jute. In addition to jute washing, new jute has already been sold in the haat-bazaar. Along with jute, the price of jute chalk has also increased in this season. Local traders are buying jute from the houses of jute farmers. Farmers said that they are very happy because of the huge demand and price increase in the market.

Altab Hossain, a jute grower of No. 1 Colony Para (Bard) village of Baganchra Union of the upazila, said that this time he cultivated jute on 5 bigha of land. If he can dry and sell the jute chalk that he got from the land, he will get an additional income of 20-25 thousand taka.

Farmer Ali Ajgar of Mandartala village of Laxmanpur union said that the price of jute is good and we sell it at Tk 10 to Tk 20 per anti (sleeve). And wholesale 100 knots of jute is being sold at 900 to 1900 taka. Farmers are able to meet their fuel needs and bring home extra money. Compared to last year, jute chalk is being sold at twice the price. It should be noted that jute chalk is still used as fuel by the poor people of rural Bengal in different areas of the upazila. This fuel lasts for twelve months and is used more during winter and monsoon.

Karim Gazi, a businessman in Putkhali Union, Baropotagram area of ​​the upazila, also said that we buy jute chalk from every village farmer's house and sell it in the city. Municipalities and 11 unions are in great demand for this jute chalk. In the mentioned upazilas, jute chalk is used for house to house fence, vegetable fence, loft. Moreover, many farmers burn jute chalk and use the ash as fertilizer in the crop fields.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Deepak Kumar Saha said that this upazila has grown the most jute. Among them, Tosha, Desi, Meshta, Kenaf varieties of jute, in the last fiscal year 2022-23, jute was cultivated in 5460 hectares of land in Sharsha upazila. In 2023-24, 5465 hectares of jute was cultivated. Which is 5 hectares more than last year. Jute has been cultivated on the land. Jute sales have already started. Pratiman jute is being sold for 25 hundred to 3 thousand rupees depending on the variety. Besides jute, farmers are also earning extra by selling jute chalk.
He also said, apart from using golden ash jute, jute chalk (Shola) is used as fuel, particle board and jute chalk are burnt and its ash is used as computer ink. As a result, in this upazila, besides jute, the price of jute chalk is also good this time. Due to which the farmers are making good profit by selling jute chalk.