National Jute Board, the agency for framing and implementing policies and programmes that promote and facilitate the growth of Jute Sector, domestically and increase the share of the global jute goods outside India bets big on the homegrown product overseas.
In a chat with Textile Value Chain, Debdoot Mukherjee
Asst. Director (Market Promotion & Scheme Implementation), says that India being one of the leading manufacturers of Jute in the world is taking all steps to ensure the product is known in the global arena. According to him, the usage of Jute is beyond what everyone thinks. “Of course, even today jute is used for the packaging of food products. However, thanks to the recent awareness among people on the usage of plastic, globally there is a great demand for an alternative textile. Jute fits in that category exactly and Jute board wants to advantage from the global concept”, Debdoot says. “I notice the jute usage is increasing in aspects like files in offices, gifts items, curtains and in select home design solutions too”.
According to him, the National Jute Board is keen on promoting jute in the retail sector both domestic and international markets. “We are providing special schemes and credits for retailers using jute as an alternative for plastics. Also, we find the increase in the awareness of consumers that a jute bag can be long lasting which they can use for multiple times compared to a plastic bag”, he said.
Jute board also firmly believe that the product is agro-renewable, bio-degradable and carbon positive fibre. There is a gradual shift towards the use of more and more eco-friendly natural products. At present nearly 500 billion plastic carry bags are used per annum across the globe and the number is gradually increasing. Total of 6000 MT plastic garbage remains uncollected every day in India.
Jute In Geo Textile:
Speaking on the usage of Jute beyond the consumer-driven side, Debdoot says on the importance in geotextile is increasing. “Jute Geotextiles (JGT) is a natural variant of man-made geotextiles loosely called ‘Geosynthetics’ used majorly in construction projects. With Geo textile, jute has been used successfully to address a host of geotechnical problems encountered in road construction, river bank erosion, slope erosion, embankment stabilization, and soft soil consolidation.”
Plans ahead:
On a concluding note, Debdoot said, through expos and regular sessions, the Jute board is promoting jute in European and American countries. Our communications and campaigns also focus on making people opt for jute on environment-friendly concerns. “We try to convey everyone that plastic in the soil can damage the fertility while jute is easily degradable and become organic manure for further cultivation”, he concluded.
BY – B Swaminathan , Consulting Editor
