Development And Promotion Of Jute Industry : Report
The Standing Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development has presented the Fifty-Third Report on ‘Development and Promotion of Jute Industry’.
Key Highlights of the Report:
- The Jute industry occupies an important place in the national economy of India. It is one of the major industries in the eastern region, particularly in West Bengal.
- Jute, the ‘golden fibre’, meets all the standards for ‘safe’ packaging in view of being a natural, renewable, biodegradable and eco-friendly product.
- India is a major player in global jute production, contributing 70% of the world’s jute output.
- The Jute industry directly employs approximately 3.7 lakh workers, with around 90% of the production consumed domestically.
- About 73% of jute industries are concentrated in West Bengal (out of 108 composite jute mills 79 are in West Bengal).
- In the fiscal year 2022-23, the production of jute goods reached a significant milestone, totalling 1,246,500 metric tons (MT).
- Exports of jute goods surged to 177,270 MT, constituting approximately 14% of the total production.
- This represents a remarkable 56% increase in exports compared to figures recorded in 2019-20.
- The rise in exports can be attributed to several factors, including increased demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable products worldwide.
- India imported 121.26 thousand MT of raw jute during the same period.
- The importation primarily stems from the preference for high-quality jute from Bangladesh, which is utilised in the manufacturing of value-added products.
- The top export markets for jute goods include a diverse array of countries such as the USA, France, Ghana, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Côte d’Ivoire, Australia, and Spain.
