Farmers' attraction to jute farming waning

Itahari: The farmers in the Tarai-Madhes region are gradually losing interest in cultivation of jute, which was once the major cash crop of the region. Especially, jute cultivation was widely done in Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa districts of the eastern Tarai.    
However, it is found that jute farming no longer is the attraction of farmers in recent years due to the low returns on investment, the lack of availability of new jute processing technology and the labour shortage.    
It is said jute cultivation is gradually declining owing to the cumbersome processing and labour shortage. Another factor that is behind the decline in jute cultivation is the lack of irrigation facility.    
Jute farming has reduced more than half in Paschim Kushaha, Laukahi, Shreepur and Haripur and Narasingh Bhokraha areas in southern part of Sunsari district. These areas were the main jute farming areas.    
Similarly, jute cultivation in Kaptangunj, Madhya Harshahi, Ramgunj Sinuwari, Sahengunj and Babiya, Jalpapur areas has also reduced more than half these days, said Birendra Yadav, a local farmer.    
He said they would cultivate jute if the local government provided the farmers with subsidies for the same.    
Until some years back, farmers in Sunsari used to make a decent income from jute farming. But these days they cultivate jute only for using it as firewood.    
In the FY, 2075/76, Province 1 had jute cultivation in 7,285 hectares of lands, producing 12,959 metric tonnes raw jute. Similarly, jute cultivation spanned 7,555 hectares in the FY, 2076/77, producing 10,165 metric tonnes. In the FY, 2077/78, the cultivation spread 7,415 hectares.    
Jute cultivation had been on the decline since some years, according to Tirtha Raj Rijal, chief of the Jute Research Center, Itahari. Technical difficulties in jute cultivation is blamed for its decline, he said.    
Lately, jute industries in the country have shut down due to various reasons. In view of a decline in its production, the government at all three levels should bring various programmes to encourage farmers, he stressed.