The jute industry is labor intensive and contributes about Rs.1,200 crores annually to the export earnings.

Indian Jute Industry

Jute, the Golden Fiber as it is called, is a plant that yields a fiber used for sacking and cordage. Known as the raw material for sacks the world over, jute is truly one of the most versatile fibers gifted to man by nature that finds various uses in the form of Handicrafts. Next to cotton, jute is the cheapest and most important of all textile fibers. Jute is being cultivated in India for centuries. The landmark in the history of jute industry in India dates back to 1854 when the first jute mill as set up by George Auckland at Rishra in Hoogly district of West Bengal. Jute is predominantly a crop of eastern India.

The production process in the jute industry goes through a variety of activities, which include cultivation of raw jute, processing of jute fibers, spinning, weaving, bleaching, dyeing, finishing and marketing of both raw jute and its finished products. Currently the production of the fibre in India is around 100 lakh bales and about 73 jute mills are operating in the country at present. Besides, there are several small scale industries in the decentralized sector producing handicrafts, decoratives, twines, pulp & paper from jute and allied fibers and particle board from jute stick.

India: Industry Milestones

• The largest producer of raw jute in the world.

• The biggest manufacturer of jute goods in the world.

• The capacity to manufacture the widest range of products, tailored to customers requirements.

• Comprehensive and world class research and development facilities in the area of jute agriculture, product development and machinery design.

• Highly quality conscious employing most modern facilities for TQC.

• Export history of raw jute and jute manufactures dates back to over 100 years.

• Highly developed infrastructure like ports, shipping facilities etc.

• A vibrant jute industry oriented to provide maximum customer satisfaction.

• Indian Jute Industry has the capacity to produce and meet the International demand for food grade Jute bags and cloth.

• Food grade Jute Bags and cloth manufactured in India ‐ are a boon in the context of global environmental and ecological concern. Indian food grade jute bags have a twin edged advantage: preservation of food in the most natural way.

Jute is a rainy season crop and hence sown from March to May according to rainfall and type of land, and harvested from June to September depending on whether the sowings are early or late.

Jute fiber, extracted from the plants of corchorus-spp., is at present principally used in the manufacture of hessian and sacking cloth and bags, ropes and cords, and miscellaneous fabrics. India and Bangladesh are the principal producers of jute and together they account for nearly 90 per cent of the world production.

India is present the biggest manufacture of jute goods. Producers of jute goods outside India are Pakistan Bangladesh, U.K., West Germany, France, Belgium and Japan. U.S.A. Producer jute yarn and bagging for cotton balls.

Three qualities of gunny cloth were produced prior to the introduction of the mill-industry. These were goon (finely woven fabric resembling hessian, occasionally containing cotton) used as wearing apparel and sleeping mats by poor classes, and goon chat (coarse and loosely woven fabric) used for packing agricultural produce and bulkier articles.

About 98% of the jute produced in India is utilized by jute mills for the manufacture of jute goods. From the point of view of its sized and place in national economy, the jute industry is one of the most important in the country as an earner of foreign exchange.

About 95% of the production conforms to qualities for which there is a world demand. The goods produced are:-

1. Hessian

It is plain woven fabric made from white jute of good quality and weighing 12 OZ/Yd with a normal basic with of 40".

2. Sacking

It is a heavy woven fabric, either plain or twill, weighing 12-20 OZ/Yd of different widths and ordinarily made lowest grades of fiber.

3. Canvas

It is closely woven cloth of fine texture 36" in width, weighing 14-240 OZ/Yd and made from white and toassa jute of good spinning quality and yarn and twine.

Hessian is used for a variety of purpose, such as linoleum and floor cloth backing, cable wrapping, brattice cloth for roads, cement cleavage fabrics for the building trade, thinning for clothing, meat scrappers etc. It is exported in finished lengths or cuts to overseas markets. Hessian bags - wheat pockets, grass and seed bags, sugar pockets, onion pockets, cotton packs, sand bags etc. are also made for Indian market and export.

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