Good yield as well as good prices of jute makes growers in six western districts happy this year.

Fibre from newly harvested jute started arriving in the local market late June and it is now selling for Tk 1700/1800 per maund (40 kg).

The harvest is 10/12 maunds per bigha. 

Regional office of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Jessore said 1,58,125 hectares of land including 29,271 hectares in Jessore, 28,035 hectares in Jhenidah, 27868 hectares  in Chuadanga, 25,735 hectares in Magura, 25058 hectares in Kushtia and 22,158 hectares in Meherpur district was brought under jute cultivation this year.

"I cultivated jute on two bighas of land this year at a cost of Tk 15,000 and harvested 22 maunds worth around Tk 36,000," said Anwar Hossain of Monoharpur village in Shailakupa upazila under Jhenidah district. 

Another jute grower Afzal Hossain of Doarpar village in Magura Sadar upazila said he has got bumper yield this season and sold 12 maunds of jute for Tk 21,600. 

Several big jute traders of Langolbandh Bazar in Shailakupa upazila said purchase of jute by private jute factories in Faridpur and Jessore region and export of the item to India and Pakistan has contributed to its price rise.

"The farmers of the six districts have got good yield this season. They are getting satisfactory prices too," said the deputy director of DAE in Jhenidah.