Climate change has made jute growers sufferers and losers in Bangladesh.
The farmers say that they have sold per 40 kg (equal to one maund) of jute at Tk 3200 to Tk 3500 in last year but are selling that at Tk 2800 this year.

Insufficient rain caused by the climate change forced the jute growers to pump out water using shallow machines. Hiking fuel oil price, pesticide and day labour wages increased the cost of jute production hugely, the farmers said.

Farmers from Faridpur, Jashore, Rangpur and other districts said that they hoped that could sell the jute at Tk about Tk 4000 per maund as the production cost increased widely this year.

But they faced the opposite scene in the markets while tried to sell the jute.
“I have sold per maund of jute at Tk 3200 last year. But this year I have sold the same quality of jute at Tk 2800 only per maund,” said Shaheb Ali, a farmer of Maligram area of Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district.

He said that they have been compelled to pump water using shallow machines for farming the jute during sow the seeds.

“Not only for growing jute we forced to pump out water to rot the jute fiber as there was lack of water in our canals, ponds and low lands where we used to rot the jute,” Shaheb Ali said.

Ecologists said that inadequate rain caused by climate change created huge sufferings for the farmers.

Shaheb Ali and other farmers in the area said that they have cost average Tk 2500 and above for growing per maund of jute. They said that selling per maund jute at Tk 2800 is not sufficient to regain their money they costs on cultivating and carrying the products to the markets.

“I have taken some loan from different persons for jute cultivation. So that I have been compelled to sell several maunds of jute at this meager price,” Shaheb Ali said.
“I may stock the rest of jute to wait if the price hikes in near future,” he said.
The farmer said, “But most of the jute growers in this area may sale their fiber in this less price as they have no way to live without selling it.”

Farmers said that the traders may gain profit by buying and selling jute fiber, but the growers are being deprived.

They are being reluctant to cultivate jute for this phenomena, the farmers said.
When contacted, Dr. Asaduzzaman, Research Director, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) told The New Nation on Saturday, “The jute growers are deprived seriously. The government should give attention to the farmers so that they can give all of their efforts to make Bangladesh free from famine.”

He said, the climate change makes the farmers more vulnerable as the less rain forced them to pump water from under surface using shallow machines for growing and to rot the jutes.

Such things cost huge extra money from their pockets, he added.
The expert said that when the environment awareness created huge markets of jute products worldwide, the government should catch the opportunity and bring back the fortune of the jute growers.

(Collected from The New Nation)