Bumper harvest fail to reduce concern over price for Rajbari jute farmers

Rajbari has recorded a bumper jute harvest this season, with impressive yields reported across all five upazilas of the district.

Harvesting is now in full swing, while farmers continue retting the stalks and extracting the golden fibre. Favourable weather, timely rainfall, and improved cultivation practices have played a key role in boosting yields.

Despite the bumper harvest, farmers remain deeply concerned about market prices. They fear that unless they receive fair prices for their produce, the increased output will fail to generate profits and may not even cover their production costs.

According to the Rajbari Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), jute has been cultivated on 47,780 hectares of land in the district during the 2026–27 fiscal year. The cultivated area includes 12,300 hectares in Pangsha, 12,150 hectares in Baliakandi, 9,850 hectares in Kalukhali, 9,260 hectares in Rajbari Sadar, and 4,220 hectares in Goalanda, representing a slight increase from the previous year.

While production has increased, so has market supply. Farmers fear that unless export demand and industrial consumption expand at a similar pace, the surplus supply could push prices downward.

Small and marginal farmers would be the worst affected, as most lack the financial capacity or storage facilities to hold their produce until prices improve. Consequently, many are forced to sell their jute immediately after harvest at relatively low prices.

Local agricultural economists described jute as a vital engine of the district's rural economy. The crop sustains thousands of livelihoods, from cultivation and harvesting to transportation and trading.  A decline in jute prices would therefore affect not only growers but also the wider rural economy.

Conversely, fair prices would increase farmers' purchasing power, stimulating local markets, small businesses, and household consumption.

Read More

ADB warns Bangladeshis against fake loan scams using its name and logo

Several big jute mills have also running with several thousands of labourers in the district.

A visit to several fields in Baliakandi and Kalukhali revealed farmers actively engaged in harvesting, retting, and fibre extraction. Although satisfied with the yield, almost everyone voiced the same concern: What price will the market offer?

Asaduzzaman Arzoo, a farmer from Habaspur in Pangsha Upazila, said that they have already suffered losses from onion cultivation. Now jute is their only hope.

“If we fail to receive a fair price for this crop as well, continuing farming will become extremely difficult," the farmers said.

Farmers say the cost of cultivating jute per bigha has risen substantially compared with previous years. Higher expenditures on fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, irrigation, retting, and labour have significantly increased production costs, leaving only a narrow profit margin unless market prices improve.

Golam Rasul, training officer of the Rajbari Department of Agricultural Extension, said that favourable jute prices last year encouraged farmers to expand cultivation this season. Coupled with favourable weather, this has resulted in an excellent harvest.

However, he noted that future prices will largely depend on domestic demand and export performance.

He added that domestic consumption of raw jute remains limited. Without stronger export growth, the increased supply could place downward pressure on prices.

Moreover, some farmers are still holding unsold jute from last year's harvest, and once these stocks enter the market alongside this season's production, prices may face additional pressure.

Agricultural officials cautioned that without guaranteed fair prices, many farmers may be forced to reduce or discontinue jute cultivation next season.

They warned that such a development could have lasting repercussions, lowering production and affecting the long-term sustainability of Rajbari's agriculture-driven economy.

Mazedul Islam, associate professor at the Department of Marketing in Kushtia Islamic University, called for improved market oversight, expanded export opportunities, more effective government procurement, and greater investment in storage facilities to safeguard farmers' incomes.