Jute Commissioner awaits Bengal govt's estimates on crop output

The Jute Commissioner's Office is waiting for the West Bengal governments assessment on raw jute production in the state this year to devise its future strategy against the alleged shortage of the golden fibre for mills, industry sources said on Sunday.

A meeting of the expert committee chaired by the jute commissioner was held recently to take stock of the shortage situation and it found a wide gap between production estimates of government and private agencies, they said.

This led the Jute Commissioner's Office to urge the West Bengal government to complete its survey on the production of the fibre as soon as possible.

"West Bengal government officials said that the work is already under way and it is expected to be completed by October 16," sources told PTI.

West Bengal accounts for 75-80 per cent of raw jute production of the country.

Jute Balers' Association had said that jute has been grown in 5.57 lakh hectare in West Bengal and total production will be in excess of 55 lakh bales, while Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) predicted a production of 58 lakh bales.

The Directorate of Jute Development, however, said that the crop was planted in 6.97 lakh hectare of land and total production would be 96.5 lakh bales. Jute Corporation of India crop estimate was pegged at 65.71 lakh bales.

Officials of the Jute Commissioner's Office had stated in the meeting that, according to ISRO, 13 per cent of the crop had been damaged by cyclone Amphan.

IJMA requested the West Bengal government last month to conduct search operations to check hoarding of raw jute which, it claimed, has caused a sharp rise in prices and may lead to the closure of several mills. 

Image Credits: PTI

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