An Overview of The Jute Industry of India

An Overview of the Jute Industry of India
AN OVERVIEW OF THE JUTE INDUSTRY OF

INDIA
R.S.BALAKUMAR
Associate Professor (DFDA)
Hindustan University, Chennai
Cell: +91-9283182955
Email: [email protected]
Introduction:
Jute is the second important fibre crop of India, next to cotton crop. Now-
a-days in the world market Jute is in great demand because of the
cheapness, softness, strength, length, lustre and uniformity of its fibre.
Utility
Jute is used for producing a huge variety of utility products like gunny
bags, hessian, ropes, strings, carpets, rugs and clothes, tarpaulins,
upholstery and decoration pieces. In recent time jute fibre is also used to
manufacturing mens shirting materials and womens sarees, salwar-
khameez material, after making softness process of the fibre. Linen fabrics
are now a days introduced in the textile market of India
Jute industry of India

Conditions of Growth:
Jute is normally the crop of hot and humid climate. It needs the high
temperature varying from 24C to 35C and heavy rainfall of 120 to 150
cm with 80 to 90 per cent relative humidity during the period of its growth
Small amount of pre-monsoon rainfall varying from 25 cm to 55 cm is very
much useful .It helps in the proper growth of the jute plant up to the reach
of the appropriate monsoon. Incessant and untimely rainfalls as well as
prolonged droughts are detrimental to this crop. Rainfall between 2.5 to
7.5 cm in a month is required,During the sowing period is considered to be
much enough.
In addition to this, Occasional showers varying from 2 to 3 cm at intervals

of a weeks time during the growing period are considered to be
important. Abundant amount of water is required not only for growing the
jute crop but also for handling the fibre after the crop is harvested.
Light sandy or clayey muds are considered to be good suited soils for jute.
Since jute rapidly drains the fertility of soil, it is compulsory that the soil is
refilled yearly by the silt-laden flood water of the rivers. Huge supply of
inexpensive labour is also necessary for increasing and processing the jute
fibre.
Technique of Cultivating and Treating of

Jute:
Jute is commonly sown in February on lowlands and in March-May on
uplands. The crop takes 8- 10 months to mature but different varieties
take the altered time to mature. The harvesting period usually starts in
July and last still the month of October.
The plants are cut to the ground and tied into bundles. Sheaves of jute
stocks are then engrossed in flood water or ponds or stagnant water for
about 2 to 3 weeks for retting. High temperature of water accelerates the
process of retting. After retting is complete, the bark is peeled from the
plant and fibre is removed.
After this, stripping, rinsing, washing and cleaning is done and the fibre is
dried in the sun and pressed into bales. All this process is to be done by
human hand.availability of plenty of labour at low-cost rates is very much
important. Coincidentally, this workforce is readily available because jute
is cultivated in areas of high population density.
Production:
India agonized a great obstruction in the production of jute as a result of
partition of the country in 1947 because about 75 per cent of the jute
producing areas went to Bangladesh (East Pakistan at that time)
Providentially, most of the jute mills remained in India. Energetic efforts
were made to growth of the production and area of jute, instantaneously
after partition to nourish our ravenous jute mills in the wake of short
supply of raw jute.
After this interval the area under jute cultivation varied between 0.8
million hectares and 0.9 million hectares. The overall increase in jute
production, in spite of jute zone remaining more or less the same, is
principally due to the increase in yields.
The yield of jute almost doubled from 1,183 kg/hectare in 1960- 61 to

2,183 kg/hectare in 2003-04. This is a great achievement keeping in view
the geographical limitations under which jute cultivation can be carried
on.
Besides 0.5 million people are involved in raw jute and finished goods
trading and ancillary activities. Currently India accounts for about 66 per
cent of world jute production as compared to only 25 per cent produced
by Bangladesh.
R&D work is carried by the farming experts during the last few years has
not only resulted in increasing yield of the fibre but also in improvement of
the fibre quality and shortening of cultivation period.
Distribution:
1. West Bengal:
West Bengal is the acknowledged ruler of jute production in India
accounting for over four-fifths of the production and nearly three-fourths
of the area under jute. Here hot and humid climate and alluvial, loamy soil
attached with cheap abundant labour provide the par excellence
conditions for the growth of jute.
Nevertheless, major part of the production comes from Nadia,

Murshidabad, 24 Parganas, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Hugli, West Dinajpur,
Bardhaman, Maldah and Medinipur districts. The entire jute production is
consumed in the jute mills located in the Hugli basin.
2. Bihar:
Bihar is the second largest producer but lagging far behind West Bengal in
the production of jute accounting only for about 9.72 per cent of the
production and over 17 per cent of the area of the country under jute.
Purnea is the largest producing district accounting for 60 per cent of Bihar
s production. Katihar, Saharsa and Darbhanga are the other producing
districts.
3. Assam:
With about 6.68 per cent of the production and 7.88 per cent of the area
of the country, Assam is the third largest jute producing state of India. The
main concentration is in the Brahmaputra and Surma valleys. Goalpara,
Kamrup, Nowgong, Darrang and Sibsagar are the main producing
districts.
Others:
Among the other producers, is Orissa, where Cuttack, Puri and Bolangir
are the main producers. In Uttar Pradesh, areas along the Himalayan
foothills including Kheri, Bahraich and Sitapur districts are the main
producers. Some jute is also produced in Maharashtra, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh.
Trade:
Indias production of jute always falls short of her requirements and it is
imported to feed our jute mills. Bangladesh is the chief supplier of jute to
India. There are year to year oscillations in the quantity and value of jute
imported by India.
Being a natural fibre, jute is biodegradable and as such environment

friendly. The principal products can be reused and, as a result, many
have a secondary value for other users. Despite such positive features,
the world market for jute has remained depressed. The major cause of
such a situation is the growth of alternates like plastic.

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An Overview of the Jute Industry of India

AN OVERVIEW OF THE JUTE INDUSTRY OF

Jute industry of India

In addition to this, Occasional showers varying from 2 to 3 cm at intervals

Technique of Cultivating and Treating of

The yield of jute almost doubled from 1,183 kg/hectare in 1960- 61 to

Nevertheless, major part of the production comes from Nadia,

Being a natural fibre, jute is biodegradable and as such environment

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