By Our Correspondent, Saptari, Aug. 27: Lately, farmers in various rural areas of Saptari district, especially in the southern and eastern parts, are cultivating jute as a cash crop.

Jute sack and twine, colloquially called "patuwa", are made from jute.

At present, many Terai farmers are trying to sell jute at a higher price because the season is its off-season.

The farmers of various villages of the district, including Deuri Bharwa, Babhangamakatti, Madhepura, Inerwa, Hanuman Nagar, Yoginiya, Bhardaha, Portaha, Rampura Malhaniya, Launia, Tilathi, Sakarpura, Kochabkhari, Barhi Birpur, have been able to earn good money by selling jute.

Rameshwar Yadav, a farmer of Rampura Malhaniya, in Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality-14, said that he had been earning Rs. 500,000 a year from selling jute.

He has been cultivating jute in two bighas of land.

Dozens of farmers like him have ditched paddy and wheat crops for jute because of the lack of a proper irrigation system and untimely rains.

Another farmer Badri Yadav said that he had been earning a good income from seasonal jute farming. 

He said, "Since I earn around Rs. 300,000 to 500,000 in a season selling jute, I have given it a priority now."

Earlier, when Yadav started cultivating jute for the first time, he did it only in 5 kathas land fearing that he won’t be able to sell it. But now, he is cultivating it in three bighas. 

According to the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Rajbiraj, the farmers have been earning good money from jute cultivation.