Bumper jute production brings cheer to farmers in West Bengal

Jalpaiguri, Aug 28 (ANI): Despite late arrival of monsoon rains this year, jute farmers in Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal are rejoicing due to bumper production of the crop.

They say that the production this year is as good as previous years.

"Like the previous years, this year also the production is good. There has been no loss due to rain deficit. The price has also not changed. More or less it's the same. Overall, it's good and we are happy," said Nirmal Roy, a farmer.

However, some feel that a better market for their crops would have been a bonus to their high yield.

"Despite late monsoon this year, the production is quite good and we expected a better market. However, if the rains had come a little earlier then the production would have been much better. Nonetheless, what we got is good, but a little better market would have been much satisfactory," said Suren Roy, another farmer.

Meanwhile, jute traders hope that the market would get stable in a few days time.

"The business is good this time. There were more markets before but this time it's less. However, we hope that the market would get revive in another five to seven days," said Narender Singh Rathore, a jute merchant, Jalpaiguri.

Jute is one of the most viable cash crops of India. And this cash crop is mostly cultivated in the eastern margin of the country.

West Bengal stands first in the country in jute production and the districts of Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar are the forerunners in the production of jute in the whole of West Bengal.

Mostly used for making bags and other sundry items, jute is also highly in demand in the carpet industry due to its fine quality.

The jute produced in Jalpaiguri is of such superior quality that it is also known as the brown cascade. By Tarak Sarkar (ANI)