The fading fibre

The Khulna district, once renowned for its thriving jute cultivation, was home to government-owned jute mills that formed the backbone of its economy.

Over the decades, however, these state-run mills shut down one after another, while privately owned mills were pushed to the brink of closure due to mounting losses.

As a result, cultivating jute, the once-renowned cash crop, is no longer a profitable option for farmers. Earnings from it are often lower than those from paddy or even vegetables, claim growers.

Subsequently, interest in farming jute -- known as the "golden fibre" -- has steadily declined, leading to a gradual but persistent fall in production across the region.

The impact of jute's decline is visible in villages across Batiaghata, Dumuria and Rupsha upazilas.

Around 15 years ago, farmer Brihespoti Boiragi of Hogol Bunia village cultivated jute on more than 300 decimals of land. This year, he planted just one bigha, mainly to produce fibre for household use and improve soil fertility.

"I can easily earn two to three times more by cultivating fish," he said. "It's also less tiresome than jute."

In his village, about 700 farmers once cultivated jute on nearly half their land. This year, only 30–35 farmers did so.

The situation is similar in Pathorighata, Hatbati, Hogol Bunia, Hetalbunia, Mailmara, Surkhali, Boyerbhanga, Debitala, Bandha, Rongpur, Soluya, Dhanibunia, Hajibunia, Bhulbaria, Noihati, Rupsha and Shihali.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), in 2021–22, jute was cultivated on about 1,493 hectares of land, producing around 17,892 tonnes. The following year, the cultivated area dropped to 1,316 hectares, with production falling to 16,020 tonnes.

The target for 2025–26 has been set at just 1,257 hectares, with an expected yield of only 3,114 tonnes.

Rising costs, falling profits

Jute cultivation costs farmers Tk 10,000–10,500 per bigha and takes about three months to harvest. After this hard work, a bigha of jute is sold at Tk 12,000–13,000, leaving farmers with little to no profit.

Last year, production costs for each maund of jute ranged from Tk 2,200–2,700, while the selling price was Tk 2,300–3,000. This year, prices have fallen to Tk 2,100–2,200 per maund.

"Why should we take the risk of loss and the continuous burden of loans?" several jute growers asked. Many have switched to paddy, vegetables, or even fish farming, which they say offers better returns and less labour.

Labour costs have also surged. Mrinal Bagchi, a farmer from Khalashibunia in Batiaghata upazila, said, "Ten years ago, daily wages for agricultural workers were Tk 200–250. Now we have to spend Tk 800–900 per day."

Challenges in the field

Farmers say they are giving up jute cultivation due to a lack of fair prices, a shortage of quality seeds, increased wages, high cultivation costs, water shortages, and what they describe as indifference from the agriculture department.

Rising soil and water salinity, delayed flooding affecting sowing times, scarcity of high land, and heavy clay soil further hinder production. In some years, insufficient water disrupts the retting process, reducing both yield and quality.

Experts said addressing these issues through better water management, salinity control and improved cultivation practices is crucial to reviving the region's jute production.

"Lack of rain is a big challenge for jute farmers," said Mrinal. "Due to insufficient water, we suffer while retting the crop."

He said ten years ago he cultivated five to six bighas of jute, but in recent years, that has dropped to just four kathas.

Besides, farmers have long suffered from a lack of mature seeds. Although many seed companies operate across the country, very few are trusted to sell quality seeds, they said.

Nirapoda Biswas, a farmer from the village, said, "Each company sells different types of seeds each year, but almost all packets contain about 10 percent immature seeds. We buy from company dealers or local markets and face losses."

He also claimed that farmers receive very little guidance from the DAE regarding seed quality.

Advocate Kudrat-E-Khuda, president of Patkal Rokkhay Sammilito Nagorik Parishad, said the sharp fall in both cultivation and production is alarming for Khulna's jute sector.

"If the closed jute mills are reopened, the price of jute will increase," he said.

"After facing so many challenges, farmers don't get a fair price for their jute in the market. If the agriculture department set a fixed price for jute like it does for rice and procured it directly from the fields, farmers would benefit," he added.

"If that happened, the golden days of jute could return," he said.

Md Nazrul Islam, deputy director of the DAE in Khulna Division, said, "Farmers are very calculative. If they face a loss from a crop, they switch to another."

"We are trying to bring back the heyday of jute and will discuss the matter with higher authorities," he added.