Around 70,000 jute growers in the district are worried as scorching summer heat amid lack of sufficient rain badly affects the plants.

Farmers cultivated jute on 20,320 hectares of land in six upazilas of the district against the target of 19,811 hectares this season, said sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Jhenidah.

Upazila-wise, Jhenidah Sadar, Shailkupa, Harinakundo, Moheshpur, Kotchandpur and Kaliganj upazila have 3554, 2900, 3660, 3190, 3350 and 3666 hectares of land under jute cultivation this season.

At least 30/40 millimetres of rainfall is needed for smooth growth of crops like jute and sugarcane but there is very little rain this month, Chuadanga weather office sources said.

"I have cultivated jute on three bighas of land spending Tk 33,000 this season. But the plants are about to die due to lack of rain water," said Younus Ali of Roghunathpur village under Kaliganj upazila.

Hafizur Rahman of Chandpara village under Kotchandpur upazila said he has cultivated jute on 40 decimals at a cost of Tk 16,000 and had to borrow from an NGO for the purpose.

He is now worried about repayment of the loan as the jute plants are getting damaged due to scorching heat of the sun. 

Several others including Nurul Islam, Nazrul Islam, Alamgir Hossain are also in the same boat.

Shah Mohammad Akramul Haq, deputy director of DAE in Jhenidah, said jute farmers will incur huge losses if it does not rain within a few days.