Hailstorms and untimely rain have ruined large tracts of jute fields in the district, causing severe setback for jute growers.

Untimely rain accelerates growth of grass and unwanted weeds that cover low lying jute fields in many areas, and the farmers are unable to root them out from wet and muddy fields.

District Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer Arif Rabbani said a total of 2,025 acres of jute fields have been ruined in the district so far this year due to hailstorm and untimely rain, although farmers said the actual loss is much higher than that.

He added that jute of local and tosha varieties was cultivated in 22, 626 acres of land this year, which is 3,211 acres less than last year's 25,837 acres, as farmers are losing interest in jute cultivation due to adverse weather and low price.

Visiting some affected jute fields at Dogasi village in Sadar upazila, this correspondent found that grass and unwanted plants covered low lying fields, hindering growth of jute plants.

"I cultivated jute on two acres of land and managed to weed out an acre before the rain started, but the rest is about to be ruined as I

could not weed it out due to continuous rain," said Abdul Jabbar, 55, owner of the field.

"If we go for weeding in favourable weather it will need more day labourers, increasing production cost. To avoid loss, I will plough the field to cultivate Aus paddy," said Abul Kashem, 62, of Khaga Titpara village in Dimla upazila.

"Only one month is left before we start harvesting from July. The jute plants are supposed to be 3ft to 4 ft in height as the seeds were sown in the first week of April, but they are now onlylfttol.5ftin affected fields, and there is little hope of recovery," said farmer Bidhan Roy of Khatali village in Jaldhaka upazila.

"Two hailstorms with heavy rain in May scattered most of the jute fields in my village, which was like a bolt from the blue to us as we took loan on interest from money lenders," said farmer Monwar Hossai, 50, of Ketkibari village in Domarupazila.

"Farmers are likely to recover affected jute fields by engaging family labour as they know how to face adverse situations,” said District DAE Deputy Director Abul Kashem Azad.

“We encourage the farmers to cultivate Aus paddy on the damaged jute fields to make up for the loss caused by hailstorms and untimely rain," he added.