Reclaiming the golden fibre: the revival of Jute || SHYKH SERAJ

Jute, the golden fibre, was historically the great pride of Bangladesh. Then, due to several factors including increased use of artificial fibres and low jute prices farmers found less incentive to grow jute.

Many jute mills were forced to close, with jute production on the verge of extinction. However, in more recent years appreciation for the crop at home and abroad has risen, to the point where a welcome jute revival is well underway.

And by the time jute was returning to economic favour, Bangladesh had already discovered its genome sequence.

Another factor that has helped jute growers participate in growing demand for jute in contemporary times has been the development of a new technology, ‘ribbon rating.’ Whereas traditionally the necessary jute rotting processes relied on soaking in canals and ponds, nowadays many waterways have been filled, leaving jute farmers in quite a conundrum. In not requiring canal or pond, ribbon rating provides a useful alternative.

At the same time, there are serious efforts to promote demand for jute at the consumer level, including making it more export-attractive. Farmers too have responded to such efforts, eager to join the jute revival. But they are yet looking forward to fair prices for their crop.

Oddly however, markets in key jute producing districts like Magura, Faridpur and Chapainawabganj are full of Indian jute seeds.

“It is true many jute seeds come from India,” says deputy director of the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute Dr. Md. Kamal Uddin, “but the strength of Indian jute fibre is deficient. The fibre can become brittle while spinning and the wastage is higher. Local farmers do not understand these differences.”
One reason farmers don’t understand is because Indian jute seeds provide a larger harvest. “We can harvest more than 10 maunds of jute per pakhi of land with Indian seeds,” says one farmer from Faridpur. “With local jute seeds we can expect about 7 maunds.”

Farmers have also noticed that using the same seeds over a long period results in reduced harvests.

Another factor influencing the preference for Indian seeds is as simple as availability. “What can we do if nothing else is available?” questions one farmer. In Magura up to 80% of jute seeds in the market are Indian seeds, with supplies of local seeds from the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), including of the white, tossa, belon and mesta varieties, unable to meet demand.

According to BADC estimates, yearly demand for jute seeds is approximately 5,500 tonnes; while national production stands at a little over 1,100 tonnes. Thus the dependency of Bangladesh on imported seeds is quite large.
“We say our jute is excellent,” says State Minister Mirza Azam, “which implies it is superior to Indian jute. But we still bring seeds from India to produce jute here.” Initiatives to reduce this import dependency are underway, the minister adds.

In the meantime an inter-ministry convention may improve the situation for participant jute growers. From the next season, farmers will be offered training, financial help and agriculture inputs. “We will help them expand their jute production,” says the minister.

Farmers meanwhile believe that if the two issues of seed availability and fair prices for produce are properly addressed by the government, production of the golden fibre will continue to rise, to reach even greater potential.

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