Jute growers frustrated as prices dip in Gaibandha
Failing to get fair price of jute, farmers taking the item back home from a sales centre at Saghata High School field in Gaibandha district. Photo: STAR
Jute growers of Gaibandha district are frustrated as prices of the cash crop see continued decline in the area. There are 28 big and small jute markets in the district but farmers going there to sell the produce often return with the unsold item due to the situation. At present raw jute is selling for Tk 800 to 1,300 per maund although the price was Tk 1,800 to 2,100 per maund at the beginning of the harvesting period, said lease holders of a few markets. Amid sharp fall in the price of raw jute, purchasers of different agencies as well as local traders have lost interest in procuring the item, fearing losses due to probable price fall further. The district produced 5.05 lakh maunds of raw jute in the current season, said sources of the chief jute inspector's office in Gaibandha. Five purchase centres under Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation have so far procured 1 lakh 8 thousand maunds of raw jute. Jatiya Jute Mills Ltd at Gaibandha Sadar centre procured 17,000 maunds of jute, Alim Jute Mills Ltd at Palashbari centre 17,000 maunds, UMC Jute Mills Ltd at Kamarpara centre 42,000 maunds, Khalishpur Jute Mills Ltd at Bamondanga centre 16,000 maunds and Star Jute Mills Ltd at Naldanga centre procured 16,000 maunds of jute. Despite government instructions to procure jute directly from growers, Jatiya Jute Mills Ltd, UMC Jute Mills Ltd and Khalishpur Jute Mills Ltd procured jute from brokers and middlemen, depriving local farmers of fair prices, said several jute growers. Besides, the five jute mills owe Tk 7 crore 65 lakh as outstanding bills to middlemen and brokers. Consequently, they cannot procure enough jute due to fund constraint. This season Jatiya Jute Mills Ltd started procurement with outstanding liabilities of Tk 1 crore 30 lakh, Alim Jute Mills Ltd Tk 1 crore 10 lakh, UMC Jute Mills Ltd Tk 1 crore 75 lakh, Khalishpur Jute Mills Ltd Tk 1 crore 75 lakh and Star Jute Mills Ltd Tk 1 crore 75 lakh. Middlemen are physically approaching farmers in the char (landmass emerged from riverbed) areas and collecting jute from them for Tk 700 to Tk 1,100 per maund. The mill authorities fixed the prices of C grade jute from Tk 1,350 to Tk 1,500 per maund, bur it sees unexpected fall -- Tk 800 to 1300, due to lack of purchasers. This year only 450 traders have taken license for procurement of raw jute against last year's 681 people and it is a reason for decrease in jute purchase in the market, said Mokbul Hossain, chief jute inspector in Gaibandha.
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