Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: National Jute Board (NJB)
Why in the News?
- Jute production is expected to decline by 20% this financial year, as per the National Jute Board.
- Jute cultivation in West Bengal and Assam was severely affected by natural calamities, including floods, damaging crops in some areas.
About National Jute Board (NJB)
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About the Jute Industry in India
- Jute, often referred to as the ‘golden fibre’, is considered safe for packaging due to its natural, renewable, biodegradable, and eco-friendly properties.
- The Jute Industry in India is over 150 years old, with approximately 93 jute mills currently in operation, as per the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA).
- India’s first jute mill was established in 1854 at Rishira, near Kolkata.
- However, after independence, India faced challenges as the jute-growing areas remained in Bangladesh while the jute factories were located in India.
- The jute industry is a vital sector in East India, particularly in West Bengal.
- It supports about 40 lakh agricultural families, employing 1.4 lakh people in the tertiary sector and 2.6 lakh in manufacturing.
- India is the largest producer of jute, followed by Bangladesh and China. However, Bangladesh leads in global jute trade, accounting for 75% of exports, while India accounts for 7%.
Jute Cultivation in India
- Jute cultivation is mainly concentrated in 3 Indian states: West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar which together produce 99% of the country’s jute.
- Conditions Required:
- Temperature: 25-35°C
- Rainfall: 150-250 cm
- Soil Type: Well-drained alluvial soil
- This is due to the rich alluvial soil in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta.
- Jute is versatile and used to produce gunny bags, mats, ropes, yarn, carpets, and various artefacts.
- Jute seeds are planted between April and May and harvested between July and August.
- The leaves can be sold in vegetable markets for nearly two months of the four-month jute crop cycle.
- The tall, hardy grass shoots up to 2.5 metres and each part of it has several uses.
- The outer layer of the stem produces the fibre that goes into making jute products.
- The government fixes the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for raw jute procurement from farmers.
PYQ:[2020] “The crop is subtropical. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost-free days and 50 to 100 centimetres of rainfall for its growth. A light well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop.” Which one of the following is that crop? (a) Cotton (b) Jute (c) Sugarcane (d) Tea |
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