Jute Farmers Protest at Bahari Bazar in Barpeta Over Export Halt to West Bengal

Jute farmers in AssamBarpeta district staged a protest at Bahari weekly market after an alleged halt on jute exports to West Bengal triggered a severe crisis for cultivators and traders across Lower Assam.

Farmers alleged that following restrictions imposed by the Assam government on transporting jute to West Bengal, traders have stopped purchasing their produce, leaving them stranded with unsold stock. As a result, jute farmers arriving at Bahari market to sell their produce were forced to return empty-handed due to the absence of buyers.

According to farmers and traders, trucks carrying jute from Assam are being stopped at the Serampore and Bakshirhat border checkpoints, allegedly by the police, without any formal government notification. Several jute-laden trucks have reportedly been detained at these borders, disrupting supply chains and causing panic among cultivators.

“This sudden stoppage has pushed jute farmers into distress. The weekly markets are collapsing because traders are unable to move produce out of Assam,” said protesting farmers at the market.

Farmers, however, offered a different explanation, claiming that the government’s decision to restrict jute movement may be linked to limited procurement at the Silghat Jute Mill, Assam’s primary jute-processing unit. With supply allegedly exceeding the mill’s capacity, authorities may have attempted to retain jute within the state.

Farmers countered this argument, stating that only about 20 percent of Assam’s jute production is consumed within the state, while the remaining 80 percent is exported to West Bengal and other states. Any prolonged restriction on inter-state movement, they warned, would result in massive losses for Assam’s jute growers.

Adding to the controversy, both farmers and traders alleged the presence of a syndicate operating in the jute trade, claiming that trucks transporting jute are being forced to pay ₹1,500 per vehicle to continue their journey. Protesters alleged that the export restrictions are being informally enforced to benefit vested interests, without any official government order.

Drawing attention to the worsening situation, the farmers have appealed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene immediately. They urged the government to ensure a fair and transparent system that allows them to sell their produce freely and to find a permanent solution to the border restrictions affecting jute transportation.

Also Read:  India's Tea Production Soars in 2025: Assam Leads the Charge