Malda dist admin holds meet with JCI to procure more jute against support price

Malda: The district administration of Malda held a meeting with the officers of Jute Corporation of India (JCI) at the Collectorate building, district headquarters on Wednesday to procure more jute against support price and benefit farmers.

The unavailability of storage space restricted the procurement so far but this year it is expected that at least 30 thousand quintals of the crop, 6 times more than the last year, can be procured and stored.

The market price of the jute is around Rs 4500 and the support price is Rs 5050 per quintal, so more procurement will lend more benefit to the farmers.

Already in the first phase, about 5 thousand quintals of jute has been procured from farmers at support price. About 30 thousand quintals more of jute will be procured from farmers at this price in the next six months by officials of Jute Corporation of India in Malda.

Biswanath Bhansali, chief manager of JCI (marketing), said: “We came here to discuss how procurement of jute can be increased. The district administration is helping with more storages. Weather being favourable, jute production has been very good this year so the market price has crashed. To support the farmers more jute has to be procured against the support price.”

Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate Malda, said: “As per the direction of the state government, we are working towards providing more warehouses to JCI for more procurement. The loss of farmers due to low market price will be made up if they can sell

their crop against minimum support price.”