Davangere,
February 1, 2013: Roads wearing out fast will be a thing of the past
as jute and coir will be used as raw materials, along with sand,
gravel and cement in the construction of roads in the State. This
method of road construction, which is in vogue in Kolkata, will be
adopted for 32 roads in the districts of Kolar, Tumkur, Haveri,
Belgaum, Bidar, Shimoga and Mysore this year at a cost of Rs 40
crore.
The road will have a one-inch thick base layer of sand. Above this
is laid a jute sheet. This is then topped by another layer of sand
of one inch thickness. It is then strengthened by two layers of
metalling of 3.5 inch thickness. Ramesh, executive engineer of the
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, told Deccan Herald that the
California bearing ratio (CBR), a measure of the soil strength, is
increased by adopting the new technology. While the CBR of?black
soil is two, that of red soil is eight. One layer of jute sheet
increases the CBR of the soil by a three points.
Normal roads wear out fast soon after rains. But roads constructed
using this technology helps them last longer. Ramesh said officials
of the Central jute and coir boards will inspect the quality of
roads constructed.He said the contractors have to maintain the roads
for five years. Maintenance for a further period of 15 years will
help them last that much longer. Three roads are being constructed
using this method in Harapanahalli taluk of the district. The jute
and coir boards have been requisitioned to supply 29,950 square
metres of jute sheets for the purpose. The work will be taken up at
Honnapura, V?Koracharahatti and Nandibevur thandas at a cost of Rs
four crore as soon as the jute consignment arrives from Kolkata and
the work will be accomplished in a year, Ramesh said. Source:
deccanherald.com
Lack of quality
output, high price affecting jute goods' export
Local jute
millers, especially the spinners and raw jute exporters, are facing
a shortage of quality jute that is seriously affecting production
and export of jute goods.Lower production of the natural fibre has
also fuelled up raw jute price, taking toll on overall production
cost of jute goods in a competitive export market, businesses
said.According to the Department of Jute (DoJ), jute industries need
nearly 7.2 million bales of raw jute this fiscal year (FY 2012-13)
to meet local and export demands.But, significant fall in
jute-cultivated land and lack of quality jute have caused a grave
concern among the jute-millers and jute goods exporters.Jute
cultivation area has reduced by about 7.0 per cent to 0.67 million
hectares this fiscal, as many farmers switched to production of
other crops due to its low price in the FY 11 and FY 12, said a key
official at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).He said
the DAE had targeted to procure 7.1 million bales (1 bale = 180kg)
of jute from the achieved acreage, but failed.Besides, drought in
some areas in the country's South-West and Western regions was
another reason behind the falling acreage, he added. The official,
however, acknowledged that the final data of jute production in the
FY 13 is yet to be finalised.The state-run Bangladesh Jute Mills
Corporation (BJMC), Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA),
Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA), and the raw jute exporter
- Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA) - targeted to purchase 1.22
million, 2.8 million, 1.0 million and 2.2 million bales of raw jute
respectively this fiscal.According to the DoJ, the four market
players bought around 6.9 million bales of jute last fiscal, when
its total production was around 7.6 million bales.Meanwhile, jute
prices that showed a downward trend in its harvesting season, have
now increased significantly.Raw jute of higher grade (tossa variety)
was sold at Tk 1,950- Tk 2,200 per maund (40 kg) and lower grade (desi
variety) at Tk 1,500-1,600 in the markets in Faridpur, Rajbari,
Khulna, Kustia, Tangail, Sirajganj and Rangpur."Despite offering
higher prices we are still looking for quality jute for the spinning
mills," said Iqbal Haider, managing director of Usha Jute Spinners
Ltd."Our mill needs nearly 0.7 million maunds of higher quality jute
to process yarn. But, the price of raw jute is much higher, and we
lack good quality jute, which are hampering production in the peak
time," he added."Farmers have no or meagre amount of seeds of their
own that forced them to use lower quality Indian seeds. As a result,
we are deprived of our local varieties of jute, considered as the
best in the world," managing director of Faridpur Jute Fibres Ltd
Shabbir Yusuf said.BJSA chairman Muhammad Shams-uz Zoha said the
government has to provide incentives to the farmers for preserving
local jute seeds for ensuring a sustainable jute sector.He said
BJSA's 92 mills exported 0.916 million bales of yarn in
July-December period of this fiscal. The volume could be higher if
they had adequate supply of quality jute. BJA chairman Mahfuzul
Haque also expressed his concern over the sharp fall of jute
production this fiscal though the demand for raw jute has been
increasing gradually in the global market."We need supply of quality
jute to increase the export volume significantly," he added.
Agriculture expert M A Sobhan said the country needs 4,000 tonnes of
jute seeds annually, of which it now imports 3,000 tonnes at a cost
of Tk 2.0 billion.The government should take projects on pilot basis
in the country's jute growing hubs to boost preservation of jute
seeds.
The government has to provide incentives to the farmers, and assure
profitable prices for their produces. Then it would take three to
four years to make the country self-sufficient in jute seeds through
the projects," he added.Despite the global downturn, raw jute export
increased to nearly 2.1 million bales in the FY 12 against 1.7
million bales in the FY 11. Raw jute exporters made a shipment of
0.832 million bales in the first five months of the current fiscal
(FY 13).
However, in terms of value the exports of raw jute and jute goods
declined by 13 per cent to $967 million in the FY 12 from $1,114
million in the FY 11, according to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
5-02-2013
Two BJMC mills
re-opened
to revive jute production
CHITTAGONG, Jan 26: The government has re-opened two jute mills in
Chittagong in a bid to revitalize country's jute industry.
Karnaphuli Jute Mills and Forat-Karnaphuli Carpet Factory produce
jute goods especially carpet backing cloths, hessian cloths and
sacking.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the mills
which will now be operated under state-run BJMC after it was
transferred to the government by Saad Musa group, a local industrial
conglomerate that ran the mills for about four years and a
half.Meanwhile, the government has allotted a sum of Tk 410 million
from the climate trust fund initially to Bangladesh Jute Mills
Corporation to meet the operational expenditure for Karnaphuli Jute
Mills and Forat Karnaphuli Carpet Factory, said officials adding
that local MP Dr Hasan Mahmud, also Minister for Forest and
Environment took special initiative to run the mills under BJMC
management.Production in the two factories remains suspended for the
last three months since the 1st of November 2012, officials
informed.BJMC officials said the government wants to revive the lost
glory of the golden fibre and full scale operations of the mills
will create jobs for over two thousand people directly and enhance
BJMC's total annual production capacity.Saad Musa group took lease
of the mills located at Rangunia upazila of north Chittagong for
five years on July 31, 2008 during the last caretaker government but
handed the same to Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation as Awami League
in its election (2008) manifesto was committed to run all public
sector jute mills of the country to boost up export and local
consumption of the 'golden fibre' of Bangladesh.The lessee company
handed over the mills, raw materials and assets to the BJMC on
November 1, 2012 as asked by Ministry of Jute and Textile. A senior
official of Saad Musa group said they were running the mills
successfully and earning profit for the last two years by employing
about 900 workers in two mills.BJMC had 24 jute mills, 11 of them in
Chittagong, but some of them were closed in the year 2007 on grounds
that the factories had undergone continuous financial loss due to
mismanagement and corruption by officials and workers plus reduced
production in factories burdened with age-old machinery.MM Jute
Mills and RR Jute Mills - another pair of Jute Mills in Sitakunda of
Chittagong was supposed to resume production in December 2011 but it
did not happen, the official said adding that production is
continuing in both mills on a test basis.Manager (admin and liaison)
Mohammed Mohiuddin Sadek told the FE that production will resume
soon in Karnaphuli Jute and Forat-Karnaphuli Carpet by recruiting
workers. "We have required officials to run the mills but we need to
recruit workers, the process of which is likely to start at the
earliest, but it will be done by our head office in Dhaka as per
BJMC employment rules," he said.Both the mills had some three
thousand workers but they were paid off following closure of the
mills in the fiscal year 2006-07.Karnaphuli Jute Mill was set up by
Daud Group of Pakistan on an area of 52.14 acres of land at Rangunia
in the year 1968. The mill was taken up by the government of the
then Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1972. In
1980, the Forat-Karnaphuli Carpet factory was set up on the same
land with financial support from the Government of Iraq.
BJMC officials in Chittagong said production in most of the
factories came down below 60 per cent. "Age-old machinery requires
to be replaced by new ones and some of them even need to undergo
BMRE (balancing, modernization, rehabilitation and expansion)," a
senior official said.
Sunday, 27 January 2013
Reopening of Bangladesh jute
mills to create 4000 jobs
Around 4,000 direct job opportunities are likely to come up in
Bangladesh jute industry, as the Government plans to soon restart
three closed jute mills to rejuvenate the country’s jute sector.
Aiming to re-establish the industry at its past glorious position,
the Government is planning to reopen Khulna-based Daulatpur Jute
Mills, Chittagong-based Forat-Karnaphuli Carpet Factory and
Karnaphuli Jute Mills.
Of these, the Daulatpur Jute Mills has been carrying out test run
for jute production since April 2012, and is ready for launch of
commercial operations, according to the state-owned Bangladesh Jute
Mills Corporation (BJMC).
Upon reopening, the three mills would function under the BJMC, and
boost the Corporation’s annual production capacity from the present
230,000 tons to 250,000 tons at optimum levels.
BJMC, which owns 24 jute mills, 18 of which are operational, has
already developed a project for modernization and expansion of these
mills. The project includes replacing of obsolete machinery,
refurbishment of old factory premises, developing new premises and
replacing cables.
During last fiscal, BJMC produced 176,000 tons of jute as compared
to its previous fiscal’s production of 160,000 tons.
BJMC exported Tk 10.58 billion worth of jute items during last
fiscal, which is higher than its previous year’s exports of Tk 9.43
billion.
Source:
January 12, 2013
EU underlines
jute’s role in regional integration
Jute can play an enhanced role in regional
integration between Bangladesh and the European Union, an EU
official has said.European Union External Action Service (EEAS)
director Seamus Gillespie advised Bangladesh to raise this subject
to the EU. He said EU is ready to support Bangladesh in this
issue.Gillespie was speaking at a meeting in Brussels on Friday on
the prospect of Jute fibre titled “Golden Fibre in the Green
Development” at Chambers of Commerce and Industry (BECI), Brussels,
according to a PID handout received in Dhaka on Saturday.
Bangladesh Embassy in Brussels and International Jute Study Group (IJSG)
arranged the meeting that was moderated by the Bangladesh Ambassador
Ismat Jahan.The ambassador highlighted the growing importance of
jute particularly in the context of its increasing significance in
“green development”.Unless it is strongly supported internationally,
the world will be deprived of a valuable eco-friendly fibre, she
added.IJSG's Secretary General Bhupendra Singh, presented a paper on
the prospect of jute fibre describing the various aspects of
innovative use of jute goods and the comparative advantage of using
jute fibre.A four member Bangladesh delegation by Major General
Humayun Khaled, Chairmen, BJMC also attended the forum.The event was
participated among others by European Commission officials, members
of Federation of the Belgian Textile, Wood and Furniture Industry (Fedustria),
jute & jute goods traders both from Europe and Bangladesh,
environment groups, think tanks located in Brussels and Embassy
officials.
Now 40 % of sugar output to be packed in jute
material.In a relief to the sugar sector, the government has relaxed
the compulsory jute packing norms by allowing mills to pack only 40
per cent of their sugar output in jute bags this year, instead of
100 per cent.Under the Jute Packaging Materials Act (JPMA), 1987,
the government had made 100 per cent mandatory reservation for jute
bags for packaging of sugar and foodgrains.“Forty per cent of sugar
production will be required to be packed in jute material
manufactured in India from raw jute produced in India,” a Textile
Ministry notification said.Not only sugar, the government has
relaxed mandatory jute packing norms for foodgrains to 90 per cent
of total production, the notification said. However, the new
mandatory jute packing norm would not be applicable to sugar
fortified with vitamins, packing for export of commodities, small
consumer packs of 25 kg and below and bulk packaging of more than
one kilogram, it said.Sugar packed for export but which could not be
shipped may be exempted from this order after assessment by the Food
Ministry, it added.The new jute packing norms would be applicable
during the 2012-13 crop year (July-June).In case of short supply of
jute bags, the notification said, “The Textile Ministry may in
consultation with user ministries, relax these provision further, up
to a maximum of 30 per cent of total production of foodgrains and
sugar.” Welcoming the notification, Indian Sugar Mills Association
Director-General Abinash Verma said, “The government has finally
accepted. There is an inadequate availability of raw jute and lower
capacity of jute mills to take care the demand from foodgrains and
sugar sectors.”
[DHAKA] Bangladeshi scientists who decoded the
genome of the fungus
Macrophomina phaseolina are confident that the
breakthrough will help tackle an organism that blights valuable crop
plants such as jute, rice, cotton, maize and soybean.
Work on sequencing the
M. phaseolina genome was described in
BMC Genomics, published
last month (19 September), by lead scientist Maqsudul Alam and his
team members from the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) and
the University of Dhaka.
"We can now design rational strategies for plant disease control and
develop fungus-resistant crops," Alam, who is also director of
advanced studies in genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics at the
College of Natural Sciences, University of Hawaii, told
SciDev.Net.
Genome sequencing helps ready identification of genes responsible
for an organism's characteristics, allowing scientists to
modify the genes to either reduce or enhance features, according
to desirability.
Alam said that
M. phaseolina uses a "diverse arsenal of enzymatic and
toxin tools to destroy host plants. The
M. phaseolina genome lays the foundation to elucidate
the specialised mechanism that helps the fungus infect more than 500
plant hosts."
"The overall impact of this fungus on the global agricultural
economy is devastating," said Alam pointing to seedling blight, root
rot and charcoal rot it causes to many crops and non-crops.
Mohd Kamal Uddin, director-general of BJRI, told
SciDev.Net that what was remarkable about the research
on
M. phaseolina was that it
was completed ahead of schedule. "We now need to translate the
findings into action."
Alam said there was potential in Bangladesh for similar research in
the future. “Bangladesh with its ecology is a Mecca for
agro-based research, with benefits for the ‘bottom billion’ in
the areas of rice, seasonal fruits and herbs.”
The main aim of research at BJRI was to "deliver to Bangladeshi
farmers disease-resistant, stress-tolerant and high-yielding
jute varieties," Alam said.
M. phaseolina destroys 30 per cent of annual jute crops
worth about US$ half-a-billion.
Cracking the
M. phaseolina genome was the extension of work on
decoding the jute genome that Alam and his team had achieved two
years earlier.
Bangladesh, the world’s second largest producer of jute, after India
and the largest exporter of the 'golden fibre', has filed for
several
patents against its jute and fungus genome sequencing work.
Swayambhar NARI (Non-formal Action Research Institute), a Kolkata-based
voluntary organisation, is organising a seven-day exhibition of
handicrafts from Shantiniketan from West Bengal, beginning from
tomorrow.
West
Bengal is known for its handlooms, handicrafts, patachitra and jute
products. On display will be a range of products developed and
created through the Integrated Design & Technical Development
Project, sponsored by Office of Development Commissioner
(Handicrafts), Govt. of India, Ministry of Textile Department. Jute
chappals, bags, patachitra, different types of handicrafts from
Santineketan - Patochitra, Madur (mat), besides men and women’s silk
and cotton kurtas, dress materials, cotton, silk and tussar printed
saree, fancy and stone ornaments from Kolkata will be on sale.
The
highlight of the exhibition will be a live demonstration by artisans
from various parts of West Bengal, majority of them from
Shantiniketan showcasing Kantha embroidery, weaving, potachitra,
floor mate making etc. The exhibition will be on from 11 am to 8 pm
everyday at YWCA, West Marredpally Road, Secunderabad from October 9
to 15.
Swayambhar NARI was started in 1988 essentially for women but over
the years, male craftsmen too have become a part of it. Started as a
voluntary group for providing marketing facilities to craftspersons,
it has grown to more than 1,000 members. The organisation runs two
craft schools at Midnapore and Birbhum, Shantiniketan besides
schools in rural areas for the craftspersons’ children. Swayambhar
NARI activities are supported by NABARD, NID and NIFT for skill
upgradation and product diversification.
New invention promises dramatic
turn for farmers' fortunes.
Atiqur Rahman, a
farmer in the northwestern Naogaon district, knows all too well how
a deadly fungus known as pachamina can destroy crops and undermine
his livelihood.Pachamina is responsible for causing huge damage to
jute crops in Bangladesh and around the world. Now a team of
Bangladeshi scientists says it has decoded the genome, opening the
door to new ways of fighting the deadly scourge. [Photo courtesy of
BJRI]."It infects one plant after another," he told Khabar South
Asia. "I incurred huge losses last year due to the outbreak of the
disease. No pesticide could stop the rotting of the plants."
A September
announcement by a team of Bangladeshi scientists, led by Maqsudul
Alam, professor of Microbiology at the University of Hawaii,
promises to bring relief to farmers like him. Alam's team said it
has decoded the genome of the deadly fungus, also known by its
scientific name, macrophomina phaseolina. The announcement
has rekindled hope for countless farmers like Rahman – both in
Bangladesh and around the world – who struggle against blight caused
by the fungus. It has long wreaked havoc on global jute and soybean
production, causing billions of dollars in losses each year. In the
Bangladesh jute industry alone, it is responsible for around Tk
4,000 crore ($490.6m) in annual yield losses. "Macrophomina
phaseolina can reduce the yield of jute production by at least
30%," Monjurul Alam, a researcher at the Bangladesh Jute Research
Institute (BJRI), where the decoding was done, told Khabar. Maqsudul
Alam, the lead scientist, said the gene sequencing could help in
several ways.
"This (the
decoding) will serve in designing appropriate strategies for disease
control [and] the development of fungus-resistant crops, essential
to ensure healthy agricultural production and food security," he
told Khabar. Mohammad Kamal Uddin, director of the project, also
pointed to the potential benefits. "Now we can easily develop a new
variety of jute resistant to the fungus. This will save farmers from
huge economic losses," he told Khabar. Bangladesh is the world's
second-largest producer of jute, behind India, and the biggest
exporter of the natural fibre. Abdur Rahman, a farmer in Modhukhali,
Faridpur, told Khabar that combating the fungus effectively would be
a major boon. "This will be a great relief for the farmers if the
fungus can be killed before it infects the plants," he said. The
breakthrough was big enough news in Bangladesh that Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina interrupted scheduled parliamentary proceedings to
personally make the announcement. "This is a great day for all of
us. We used to gain knowledge from all over the world but now we're
in a position to provide new knowledge to the rest of the world,"
she told Parliament, announcing the breakthrough to thunderous
applause.
Export of jute goods to
India might decline in the current fiscal year as the neighbouring
country has imposed new tariff and non-tariff barriers, sources
said. The Indian government has imposed four per cent countervailing
duty on jute goods and also has set a condition which requires
Bangladeshi exporters to put the 'country of origin' tags on their
jute bags.
The industry insiders said sticking the labels measuring 10 cm X 8
cm each on the jute bags would just raise the production cost by
three per cent. The Indian government set such a condition in 2009
also, requiring the exporters to mention the words "Made in
Bangladesh' on each bale of jute bags, containing 300, 400 and 500
pieces each.
The industry insiders feared that allowing the restrictions to
linger long would only widen the trade deficit between the two
countries. India solely depends on Bangladeshi jute bags. And
imposition of such tariff and non-tariff barriers by the country
will only leave a negative impact on export of jute bags.
The Indian measures have come at a time when the political chaos in
the Middle East and some African countries has led to a sharp fall
in export of the country's jute goods driving down raw jute prices
in the local market.
Following imposition of the Indian restrictions, the jute goods
exporters in the country's private sector have long been requesting
the government to persuade the neighbouring country to review the
decisions.
On September 25 last Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA)
submitted recommendations to the ministry of commerce (MoC) for
discussion with the Indian government. "We call upon the government
to negotiate the matter with the Indian government for the sake of
smooth jute goods export there," BJMA Secretary A Barik Khan told
the FE.
The private sector accounted for 79.74 per cent of the total export
of jute goods during the 2011-12 fiscal year. Both the private and
public sectors earned Tk 50 billion from export of jute goods.
Bangladesh exported jute goods to India worth Tk 8.5 billion during
the period.
Fund constraints held
jute millers and traders back putting a damper on demand for the
golden fibre to the utter deprivation of farmers. Farmers saw a
significant fall in prices of the world's most adorned biodegradable
natural fibre, as the jute millers and traders could not go for
purchase of the cash-crop as targeted because of their fund
constraints, sources said.
If the situation was allowed to linger long, it would cause an
adverse impact on overall production in the country's jute industry,
they feared.
Leaders of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC), Bangladesh Jute
Mills Association (BJMA), Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA)
and Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA) said they were yet to achieve
even half of the jute purchase targets.
BJMA officials said their miller members planned to procure 1.0
million bales of raw jute this season. But so far they could meet
only 10 per cent of the total target due to the fund constraint.
Same was the situation with the BJMC, as it was not able to buy the
targeted volume of raw jute because of their fund scarcity.
The state-run mills have so far procured 535,000 bales of raw jute
against the target of 1,220,000 bales in the ongoing fiscal year.
BJA chairman Mahfuj-Ul-Haque said they had a plan to buy 2.5 million
bales of raw jute in the current year. But they so far could buy
only one bale.
Mr Haque said nearly 95 per cent of raw jute exporters could not
procure jute this season. In such a situation the farmers emerged
losers as they were not getting prices up to the expectation.
According to the jute traders, the prices of raw jute at the field
level stood at Tk 900 to Tk 1700 per maund this year, down from last
year's Tk 1500 to Tk 2200 depending on quality.
According to the leaders in the sector, if the traders cannot
purchase jute within the next 15 days, the market will be under the
full control of hoarders. Then they would be compelled to buy the
commodity at much higher prices from the hoarders while the farmers
would incur heavy losses, they said.
They also said if the banks at least give them assurance about
availability of loans during the period, they can place orders for
purchase of jute from the farmers. Recently the Textile and Jute
Ministry in letters to four state-run banks asked them to provide
loans to the jute sector to overcome the funding crisis.
The ministry also suggested disbursement of Tk 1.0 billion by each
of the four state-owned banks immediately to the jute mills and raw
jute exporters for the sake of running their business smoothly,
sources said. The banks are Sonali Bank, Janata Bank, Agrani Bank
and Rupali Bank.
Earlier in a meeting Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddique
said, "The prices of raw jute decreased recently following a
scarcity of money in the market". "If the banks and the finance
division do not cooperate, the jute industry cannot remain stable,"
he also said. The managing directors of four state-owned banks who
attended the meeting evinced keen interest in extending loans to the
jute sector.
The millers said though the concerned minister asked the some
state-owned banks to give loans to the jute sector, there was no
notable progress yet in this regard. The jute purchasers said
despite the jute ministry's decision, the banks were not cooperating
with them and said also it was the matter of the finance ministry
and that they should contact that ministry.
Aspiring entrepreneurs urged to manufacture jute-based products
Manufacture of
value-added products from jute is likely to be dovetailed into
National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) implemented in Tamil Nadu
through Mahalir Thittam programmes.In Tiruchi district, manufacture
of organic and eco-friendly products under NRLM was being carried
out in select panchayats in Thottiyam, Thathaiyengarpet, Marungapuri
and Mannachanallur blocks, R. Ganesan, Project Officer, Mahalir
Thittam, said on Friday, after inaugurating a day-long awareness
programme on jute diversified products at Jamal Mohamed College.
Jute Service Centre, Sri
Jothi Kanniga Universal Service Trust, Coimbatore, and National Jute
Board, Ministry of Textiles, conducted the programme in coordination
with the College’s Entrepreneurship Development Cell and Gender
Club, Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (Mahalir
Thittam), District Industries Centre, and Women Entrepreneurs’
Association of Tamil Nadu (WEAT). The objective of the programme was
to educate participants on jute products and motivating them to
manufacture.
Participants constituted
members of women self-help groups, non-governmental organisations,
craftswomen, weavers, artisans, entrepreneurs and government
officials. Mr. Ganesan assured the support of Mahalir Thittam for
conduct of training, production, marketing, and sourcing of raw
materials.
Tiruchi district, he
said, has been chosen as a model for implementing the NRLM.
Manufacture of jute-based value-added products could be taken up
under Unemployed Youth Employment Generation Programme, he
suggested.
While about 40 lakh
families in the country were dependent on jute products, value
addition was made only to 15 to 20 per cent of the annual produce of
160 lakh tonnes, M. Ramaswamy, officer in-charge, Jute Service
Centre, Coimbatore, said. Up to 30 interested beneficiaries will be
chosen for basic training followed by two specialised trainings,
after which buyer-seller meets will be organised for marketing
support, he said.
College principal R.
Khader Mohideen spoke of the importance of sensitising student
community to the imperative need for using eco-friendly products in
the context of global warming. A.K. Khaja Nazeemudeen, college
secretary and correspondent, said jute, owing to its weightlessness,
was traditionally sought after material for packaging.
N. Manimekalai,
professor, department of women’s studies, Bharathidasan University,
said marketing base for jute products could be enlarged through
increasing frequency of exhibitions by women self-help groups in
colleges, and putting up of stalls at times of seminars and
conferences.
Speakers explained how
jute could be converted into garments, decorative items, table
cloths, curtains, floor mats, handicrafts items, phone mats, wall
decorative pieces and dolls. The products were in high demand. Jute
was cost-effective and not easily burnable, participants were told.
Aspiring entrepreneurs
among them were encouraged to approach Jute Service Centre along
with SSI registration certificate. For details, contact T. Ayyappan
(044-28224967/ 28224463), Market Promotion Officer, NJB, Chennai, or
M. Ramasamy (0422- 2591530/ 9443743020), Chief Coordinator, Jute
Service Centre, Coimbatore, or visit www.jute.com or
www.indianjjute.blog spot.com.
SANKRAIL: Low production
has forced yet another jute mill in the state to shut down
operations. Around 4000 employees of Delta Jute Mill in Howrah were
left jobless after the company made the announcement on Tuesday.
SDO (headquarters) Bani
Prasad Das said, "I have spoken to the jute mill authorities, who
informed me that low production had forced them to suspend work and
issue a notice." Howrah district INTUC president Rabindra Nath
Mondal said, "They held no talks with union members. The authorities
closed the unit on their own."
INTTUC president Arupesh
Bhattacharyya added, "It is unfortunate. Labour minister Purnendu
Basu has been informed about the closure. He has assured of
assistance." The jute mill was opened only nine months ago.
Dhaka: A group of
Bangladeshi scientists has sequenced the DNA make-up of a fungus
which reduces yield of more than 500 species of crops including
jute. "Our scientists, led by Dr Maqsudul Alam, have discovered the
genome sequence of a fungus which is harmful to plants," Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina told Parliament on Wednesday.
The fungus, Macrophomina Phaseolina, cuts down the production of
many crops like jute, soybean, cotton, tobacco, maize and sunflower.
At a press conference on Wednesday, the research team's head Dr Alam
spoke about their breakthrough. He said the fungus alone reduces 30
percent production of tossa jute and globally costs billions of
dollars in lost production.
"With this invention, we can design rational strategies for disease
control and develop fungus-resistant crops," he said. However, he
did not say when the fungus-resistant jute would be available. Dr
Alam said the price would be "cost effective" and farmers would be
immensely benefited. "When we do our research we keep in mind that
the invention does not prove expensive to poor farmers," he said.
The Prime Minister told Parliament that the discovery was indeed a
great achievement and set an example that Bangladesh could also
contribute to the global quest for knowledge. "An article on
decoding has been published in BMC Genomics today," Alam said and
added that Bangladesh applied for three provisional patents for it.
Dr Alam also headed the research project that unveiled the genome
sequence of jute in 2010.
"This time, the scientists have unveiled the genome sequence of the
fungus," Hasina said and added that the feat will certainly enrich
world knowledge. Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali, who was presiding over
the session at the time, also congratulated the scientists on behalf
of Parliament.
RANGPUR, Sept 12 (BSS):
The farmers have achieved bumper production of jute and produced
10,65,213 bales of the fibre in eight districts under Rangpur
Agriculture Zone (RAZ) this season, official sources said.
Horticulture Specialist of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)
Khandker Md Mesbahul Islam said the farmers just completed jute
harvest after cultivating the crop on 5.35 percent more land than
the fixed farming target this season.
The farmers had cultivated jute on 95,461 hectares land against the
fixed target of brining 90,608 hectares land under its cultivation
and produced 10,65,213 bales against the fixed production target of
9,65,184 bales fibre in RAZ this time. According to DAE sources, the
farmers had cultivated local variety jute on 11,353 hectares land to
produce 1,01,786 bales fibre and Tosha variety jute on 84,108
hectares to produce 9,63,428 bales jute in RAZ this season.
Talking to BSS, Deputy Director of the DAE here said jute
cultivation has started regaining its past glories as a result of
various effective steps taken by the government in recent years.
Principal Scientific Officer of Rangpur Regional Station of
Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) Dr Aiyub Khan said farmers
are cultivating jute using the latest agro-technologies including
ribbon retting to get the best quality fibre even amid drought-like
situation.
They urged for expediting jute purchase through the purchasing
agencies and jute mills of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation to
ensure fair price as they are selling jute at rates between Taka 800
and 1,500 per mound (every 40kg) now in the local markets.
Taking advantage of slower purchasing pace by the government
agencies and mills, local syndicates are making stocks after buying
at lower rates to earn windfall profits after few months when
farmers would not have jute in their possessions, they apprehended.
NEW DELHI: With plastic
bags now banned, the biggest concern for residents and traders is
the lack of sufficient and cheap alternatives to plastic. Several
small units have mushroomed in the city that manufacture cloth and
paper bags, but with over 10 lakh plastic bags used in the city
daily, these units are not producing enough to meet the city's
needs.
"Big brand and retail
stores still find it easy to use paper bags due to their volume of
sales and price of products. However, how can a small shopkeeper,
selling items worth Rs 10-20, invest in paper or cloth bags? It is
not just shortage of alternate bag manufacturers but a major lack of
suitable options for many traders," said Praveen Khandelwal,
secretary general of the Confederation of All India Traders.
Government officials
believe that a change in attitude is all that is required for the
ban to become effective. "People were used to carrying their own
bags to the market. Many had cloth bags or big baskets that were a
permanent fixture in each household. Plastic is just a convenient
option and has become a habit, but if these bags are not available,
people will move back to other resources," said an official. In 2009
the environment department had issued an exhaustive list of cloth,
paper and jute bag manufacturers but traders say that small vendors
and shopkeepers will not find it viable.
In the congested lanes
of Mandawali in east Delhi, NGO Amba Foundation has been making
paper and cloth bags for six years now. "People donate cloth and
newspaper which is recycled and then made into bags and sold through
stalls that the NGO puts up at various public events across the
city. Women from the slums surrounding Mandawali area are involved
in making these bags," Jyoti Sarwal, general secretary, Amba
Foundation, said.
Sarwal points out that
cloth bags are any day more popular than paper as people find them
durable for a price. When the ban on plastic bags was announced in
2009 ago, Sarwal said paper bags caught the fancy of people, but
when enforcement became lax, people started getting back to their
old ways.
For St Stephen's
Hospital, the blanket ban on plastic bags vindicates its stand
against use of plastic bags for the past four years. The hospital
doesn't allow plastic for packaging inside the premises. Muslin
cloth bags made especially to cater to the hospital and its patients
are supplied to the pharmacy. "Shifting to cloth or paper bags may
cost more but then protecting the environment is a priority," said
Dr Amod Kumar, head of department (community health department). The
cloth bags at St Stephen's are made by a group of 20 women from the
Sunder Nagri slums in northeast Delhi. They make bags in their spare
time and are paid the minimum wages.
West Bengal govt approves Rs 450mn for two sick jute mills
The Government of West
Bengal, a state in eastern India, has approved a Rs. 450 million
relief package for workers of two sick mills under the National Jute
Manufacturers’ Corporation (NJMC).
The rehabilitation
package for Kennison Jute Mill and Khardah Jute Mill, both located
in Hooghly district of the state, was approved at a meeting of the
state Cabinet Chaired by Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee.
The two mills, which
together employ over 5,000 workers, would be granted status of
relief undertakings for six months, the Chief Minister said.
Panchayat Minister
Subrata Mukherjee said as the two mills are located in the state,
the state government felt it was its moral duty to formulate a
rehabilitation package for the workers of the two sick mills.
Of the total sanctioned
sum, Rs. 270 million would go to Khardah Jute Mill, while the
Kennison Jute Mill would be given Rs. 180 million, he added.
The two mills were sick
since 1983, and they approached the Board of Industrial and
Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) in 1992.
Farmers disgruntled over low jute price in Kurigram
KURIGRAM, Sept 8 (UNB):
Low prices of jute in the local market have frustrated growers of
the district this year. Local farmers cultivated jute with great
enthusiasm in nine upazilas of the district this year as there was
good harvest as well as satisfactory price of jute last year.
However, now they have been gripped with anxiety as the market price
of jute is much below their expectation.
Local Department of Agriculture Extension sources said about 21,111
hectares of land were brought under jute farming in the district
this year. Of the total land, jute on 3,059 hectares was damaged due
to flood.
The government fixed the rate of per maund jute at Tk 2,200 but the
local big businessmen, licensed by the government, refused to buy
jute at the official rate, said farmers.
The farmers alleged that the businessmen are buying jute at low
prices in a bid to get more profit, which affected them badly. The
farmers said they have been deprived of getting fair price from June
this year as a syndicate of middlemen remained active in the market.
At present, per maund jute is being sold between Tk 700 and Tk 1,600
depending on quality, which is lower than that of the previous year.
Though the price of jute was less this year, the cost of jute
processing has increased much, farmers said. Farmers Mostafizur and
Mohammad Ali of Gorai Raghura village in Sadar upazila said they
cultivated jute on six bighas of land with a big hope. But they said
they were frustrated due to low price in the local market.
They accused the middlemen for sorry state of the jute market. When
asked to comment on low price, Matiur Rahman, a jute trader of
Durgapur, said the demand of jute at wholesale depots fell. "Hence,
we are compelled to buy jute at low prices," he said.
Protip Kumar Mondal, deputy director of Department of Agriculture
Extension, said jute on 3,000 hectares of land was damaged due to
flood. Though the market price of jute was fixed at Tk 2,200, the
growers failed to sell their produce at such rate, which frustrated
them very much.
However, he declined to give reasons for the downfall of jute price.
The farmers may be benefited if the market monitoring system is
strengthened, said the official.
Kolkata, India: The West
Bengal Government on Thursday granted ‘relief undertaking’ status to
two jute mills - Khardah Jute Mills and Kinnison Jute Mill – for six
months.
Both the mills are
located at North 24 Parganas district of the State. This apart, a
relief package of Rs 45 crore will be provided for these two mills.
The two mills are
currently under the Board for Industrial and Financial
Reconstruction (BIFR), Subrata Mukherjee, State Panchayat Minister,
told reporters after a cabinet meeting here.
Magura farmers disheartened over drastic fail in jute price
Magura, Bangladesh: Jute
price has fallen abnormally disheartening the farmers of Magura.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Magura said, a total of
30,000 hectares of land was brought under jute cultivation in four
upazilas of the district this year and a total of 1, 65000 bales of
jute has been produced. At present jute is being sold in the local
market at Tk 1000 to Tk 1200 per maund which was at Tk 1600 to Tk
1800 last year. In this situation tension has gripped the farmers as
they are facing losses by selling their proiduce.
Abdul Hoque, a farmer of Nalidanga village under the sadar upazila
said, "I have got 18 maunds of jute this year cultivating two bighas
of land and sold the produce at Tk 19 thousand. But the production
cost was above Tk 20 thousand.
Another farmer Mokhlesur Rahman of village Vina under the sadar
upazila said the, production cost of jute has increased at a large
scale this year, but price fallen abnormally. At present at per
maund of jute is being sold Tk 1000 to 1200 against Tk 1600 to 1800
last year.
Abul Kalam, another farmer of village Parla under the upazila said,
government has fixed up the maximum price of jute at Tk 2200 per
maund this year. But farmers are being deprived of the rate as there
are only four government jute purchasing centres in the district.
The number is quite inadequate compared with the necessity of
farmers.
India declines to import jute bags from Bangladesh, Nepal
The Government of India
has turned down proposals from Nepal and Bangladesh to supply gunny
bags in 2012-13 for packing sugar and food grains.
The Jute Packaging
Materials Act (JPMA)-1987, a Central legislation, provides for 100
per cent mandatory reservation for jute bags for packaging of sugar
and food grains.
Since both sugar and
food grains are under the reserved sector, the Union law ministry
has expressed reservations over import of gunny bags from Nepal and
Bangladesh.
According to law
ministry, there are serious technical, legal, supply and policy
problems in allowing import of jute bags from Nepal. The law
ministry, however, has allowed such imports in the unreserved
sectors other than food grains and sugar.
Moreover, jute bag
prices in India are fixed on a price formula of the Tariff
Commission of 2001 and procured by Directorate General of Supplies
and Disposal (DGSD) or through National Competitive Bidding (NCB).
DGSD has no jurisdiction on inspecting quality of jute bags in Nepal
or Bangladesh.
Says Manish Poddar,
chairman, Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA), “There was a
proposal for import of gunny bags from Nepal and Bangladesh but it
has been struck down by the Centre. In any case, the domestic jute
industry is more than self-sufficient and is in a position to meet
the requirement of packing sugar and food grains.”
While one million tonnes
of jute sacks are needed to pack food grains, 0.2 million are
necessary for packing sugar. The jute industry has the capacity to
churn out 1.5 million tonnes of sacks and sacking capacity is almost
0.55 million tonnes higher than peak government demand.
Rajshahi jute growers denied fair price for middlemen
RAJSHAHI: The jute
growers are being reportedly deprived of fair price due to
domination of the middlemen gang at different hats and bazaars in
the district.
Concurrently, the farmers are failing to recoup the production cost
amidst the adverse situation.
Jute farmers and agriculturists told BSS separately that the farmers
cultivated jute on more than 2,364 hectares of land than the target
of 11,671 hectares as they got satisfactory price of the jute fiber.
Expressing their grave concern over the present situation the
farmers demanded immediate interference of the government to ensure
legitimate price to the growers. Otherwise, they apprehended that
the farmers may turn back from jute cultivation which, in turn, may
affect the national economy.
Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE),
Rajshahi Nurul Amin told the news agency that 14,035 hectares of
land were brought under the jute farming.
Ekabbar Ali of Shreepur village under Paba upazilla said the farmers
have rotten their jute plants using water from deep tubewell as all
the nearby ponds, canals and ditches remain dry due to scanty
rainfall this season.
In addition to the suffering, the jute fields the growers also had
to spent more money for the harvesting and fiber segregation
purposes after facing a labor-crisis situation, he informed.
He demanded legitimate price of jute for the sake of boosting its
output through making the farmers more interested towards the cash
crop farming.
With hope of gaining better price the farmers have stored their
golden fiber costing more money coupled with crop losing due to the
adverse situation. But, now they have become disappointed with the
present market price.
Ekabbar Ali said the jute is being sold at Tk 900-1100 per mound
whereas the price was Tk 1,300-1,500 in 2011 while Taka 2000 in
2010. "The present market price is very much less than production
cost of around Taka 13,000 per bigha," said Asad Ali, a farmer of
Tema village under Mohanpur upazila.
Abu Bakker Ai, former president of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, urged the public and private sector jute mills authorities
to purchase jute from the farmers directly and at mill get instead
of the middlemen.
The farmers, in large, were seen bringing jute to different hats and
bazaars with the hope of meet up their family needs by the sale
proceeds. But taking advantages of the situation the middlemen gangs
are seen forcing the growers to sell their produced in less price.
Source: The Financial Express, Bangladesh
Septembet 05, 2012
India National Fibre Policy has been formulated
The National Fibre
Policy has been formulated with a decadal perspective of 2010-20 for
developing Cotton, Man Made Fibres, Jute, Wool, Silk and specialty
fibres through fiscal and non fiscal incentives. The National Fibre
Policy deals with fibres covered under the allocation of business to
the Ministry of Textiles. Coir is not covered under the National
Fibre Policy as it falls under the allocation of business of
Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Various schemes are
implemented by the Coir Board for the promotion and development of
the coir industry.
A Knitwear Technology Mission (KTM) has been established at
Tirupurfor enhancing capacities and expertise in the knitwear
sector. This project would be on PPP mode and provide various
support services to the industry including knowledge service,
testing & certification, research, training & education, design
services etc. It would function as an autonomous self-sustaining
organization on no-profit-no-loss model. The Government has given
grant of Rs. 5.00 crore to Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC)
for this project.
This information was given by Smt. Panabakka Lakshmi, , Minister of
State for Textiles , in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Source: Press Information Bureau, Government of India
Harvested jute drying up for poor rain in Rangpur, Bangladesh
Thousands of farmers in
Rangpur division are facing problem to rot their harvested jute this
season due to lack of sufficient water in rivers, ponds and canals.
The situation has arisen
as this monsoon saw inadequate rainfall.
Big farmers are using
shallow machine to draw water from underground to fill the dried up
canals and ponds for rotting jute fibre while many others taking
their produce to distant water bodies for the purpose. Both the ways
add to the production cost.
Farmers fear degradation
of the quality and colour of this season's jute fibre as a large
quantity of the harvest has already dried up in the fields.
The DAE distributed a
good number of ribbon retting machines among the jute cultivators in
the division to peel off fibre from the sticks.
Farmers, however, have
termed the method too costly.
If the drought-like
situation continues for a few more days, production of raw jute
fibre in the region will decline by around 25 percent, agriculture
experts said.
Slow buy at 'free' rates by govt mills adds to dull jute price -
Bangladesh
Jute markets in eight
northern districts remains awfully dull as assigned jute mills under
Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) have continued purchasing
jute at a very slow pace, reports our Nilphamari correspondent.
Amid falling trend of
jute prices, farmers fear huge losses as nearly 90 percent of this
season's harvest has already completed.
Eight mills under BJMC,
namely, Bangladesh Jute Mills, Crescent Jute Mills, Amin Jute Mills,
Latif Bawani Jute Mills, Star Jute Mills, Platinum Jute Mills, UMC
Jute Mills, Gul Ahmed Jute Mills, Rajshahi Jute Mills, Hafiz Jute
Mills, Karim Jute Mills and Eastern Jute Mills started purchasing
jute in mid-July.
But unlike in case for
food grains like rice, the authorities have not announced any
minimum price for purchasing jute, and the mills are buying the item
in an unusually very slow pace. Visiting several big jute markets
like Golna and Mirganj in Nilphamari district, Baura and
Mohishkhocha in Lalmonirhat district and Sakoa in Panchagarh
district, this correspondent found that the mills are buying jute at
'local market price' that often varies at different places and
times.
Purchase centres of the
12 jute mills of BJMC mostly buy jute in eight northern districts
for last couple of years, said sources at the regional office of the
jute directorate in Rangpur. Ten privately owned jute mills and a
number of exporters and stockists also purchase jute regularly in
the region. The jute mills under BJMC have purchased only a little
over 10% of raw jute by the last week of August this year compared
to last year's purchase by this period, Saifur Rahman, additional
director of the regional jute office in Rangpur.
In last year, average
price of a maund (40 kg) of high quality jute was Tk 1850, that of
medium quality was Tk 1500- 1550 and low quality was Tk 1300, said
sources in the regional jute office. But this year a maund of the
three categories of jute are selling at Tk 1600, Tk 1350 and Tk 1100
respectively, they said.
"I produced medium and
low quality jute, like most farmers in the area. So I have to incur
loss as my production cost per maund stood at about Tk 1500," said
Ataur Rahman of Angarpara village in Nilphamari Sadar upazila.
Sources in different district jute offices in the region said nobody
received any new license for jute purchase while only a limited
number of people have applied for renewal of their old licenses for
supplying jute to jute mills, traders, exporters or stockists till
August 22.
"I have a huge stock of
last year's jute as I did not sell it due to its low price,"
Mahmudar Rahman, a jute trader in Jaldhaka upazila, said. Farmers
Entazul Islam of Gayabari village in Nilphamari and Aktarul of
Pathanpara village of Panchagarh said they sold jute for low prices
as they needed money to prepare land for transplanting aman paddy.
This year jute was
cultivated in 90,608 hectares of land in Rangpur, Dinajpur,
Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and
Nilphamari districts and the production target is 7 lakh 70 thousand
and 168 bales (1 bale = 187.5 kg), said sources at the divisional
office of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Rangpur.
Our Dinajpur
correspondent reports: Despite good yield this season, jute growers
of Dinajpur and Joypurhat districts have continued incurring loses
for the third consecutive year as the market of the 'golden fibre'
remains down. During visits to a jute market in Khansama upazila of
the district and another in Panchbibi upazila of Joypurhat, this
correspondent found that a maund (40kg) of jute was selling for Tk
600 to Tk 700, depending on quality.
"I spent Tk 25,000 for
producing jute in an acre of land and got 40 maunds of yield. I
barely recovered the production cost by selling the whole amount.
Why should I put so much effort for jute cultivation on my land?"
Nur Islam, a jute grower of Khansama upazila of Dinajpur, said.
West Bengal jute growers seek fair returns for produce
In spite of good crops,
jute growers in eastern Indian state of West Bengal, who contribute
over 60 percent of the country’s total jute output, are concerned
over getting fair prices for their produce this season.
It is because the cost
of cultivation has gone up considerably, while there was a decline
in world jute prices last year.
Farmers in the state,
who mainly depend on agriculture, say they have reaped good produce,
but are not getting fair prices for the same. Besides, environmental
issues are also becoming a cause of concern.
Jute cultivators in West
Bengal say prices of essential commodities are rising continuously,
which has badly affected their livelihood. Hence, they are seeking
remunerative prices for their produce to sustain in the midst of
inflationary pressures.
Next to West Bengal,
Orissa and the north-eastern states are the largest contributors to
the country’s total jute output.
Jute Bag Makers Losing Rs 200 Cr Every Year On Outdated Pricing
Formula - India
Jute bag manufacturers
are losing over Rs 200 crore every year due to non-revision of an
11-year-old pricing formula of the Tariff Commission.
Adding to the woes of the ailing jute industry is the recent
decision of the Jute Commissioner’s (JC’s) office to strike down the
industry’s demand for revising jute bag prices — a move that is
bound to affect all 55 working jute mills in West Bengal.
“All jute bag manufacturers in West Bengal are running into losses
because of the obsolete pricing formula and our mill is losing
around Rs 5,000 a tonne. If jute bag prices are not revised, it will
only push the industry into further sickness,” said Sanjay Kajaria,
owner of Hastings Jute Mill and former chairman, Indian Jute Mills
Association (Ijma).
“The jute industry is supported by the government but it seems the
government is not willing to revise jute bag prices. The industry
has already approached both the Central and state governments, but
our concerns have not been addressed”.
Jute bag price, which is currently at Rs 55,979 a tonne, is
determined as per Tariff Commission’s price formula of 2001.
“Obviously, we are making losses. On two earlier occasions, the
Union textiles ministry has rejected the push for price revision.
But, the industry should not lose hope as a new study is under way.
The study is being done by the Tariff Commission. Once it is done,
the recommendations will be submitted to the Union ministry of
textiles, which will take a call on revising jute bag prices,” said
Manish Poddar, chairman Ijma, who owns the Budge Budge jute mill.
The jute industry is protected under a central legislation, the Jute
Packaging Materials Act, 1987, that provides for mandatory packaging
of sugar and foodgrain in jute bags by procurement agencies to an
extent of 100 per cent.
On the recommendation of the Tariff Commission, the Union ministry
of textiles recommended a formula change to the Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs (CCEA). According to the JC office, there is no
requirement of a price revision at this stage. According to the
estimates of the JC office, wage cost has reduced by Rs 1,596 a
tonne and hence, current prices of jute bags are remunerative.
Data from the JC office reveals that to produce one tonne of jute
bags, 38.32 man days are needed. The price calculation is based on
the productivity norms of the erstwhile Jute Manufacturers’
Develo-pment Council which had estimated that 42.9 man days were
needed to produce a tonne of jute bags.
Moreover, data furnished by 13 jute mills showed that on an average,
40 persons are required to produce a tonne of jute bags.
The industry, however, holds the Tariff Commission’s formula of 2001
as obsolete.
It may be noted that on February 9, 2011, the Union ministry of
textiles had instructed the JC office to recalculate the fixed price
components of the 2001 Tariff Commission Report, linking it to
inflation. The Central government had earlier set aside a revised
report of the Tariff Commission submitted in June 2009 as it was
allegedly found to be manipulated.
A section of the industry has already moved the court against the
government for non-implementation of the Tariff Commission's price
formula of 2009. The JC office had carried out the revised
calculation on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) series of 1981-82,
1993-94 and 2004-05, gathered from the Economic Adviser’s office of
the Union commerce ministry.
One of the UK's leading
suppliers of sustainable carrier bags, Jutexpo, is proving that
sustainability and commercial success can go hand in hand
When Sam Turner and his
father, Barrie, launched Cotswold-based Jutexpo in 2002, their jute
bags offered an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic
bags, responding to a change in priorities among both companies and
consumers.
Ten years on and the
importance of making sustainability a key part of business for all
SMEs has grown. Society as a whole has become more ethically aware,
consumers increasingly want to know that their spending power is
being re-invested in the people, environment and infrastructure
responsible for creating the products they buy. For companies
prepared to innovate, such as by promoting carbon-reduction measures
or ensuring suppliers are paid a fair price, new opportunities are
rife.
Right from the
beginning, offering ethical solutions was essential to Jutexpo's
success. "Sustainability is very important – but people don't always
understand what sustainability is," says Sam. "It's not just about
the environment – it's also about jobs and social changes. It's
about consumers who are proud to be seen with our bags as it's
something they've invested in."
Years spent in India
meant Sam's father had worked closely with the jute industry and had
developed strong relationships and a supply route with the mills.
"My dad had been working in India near Kolkata and planned to come
back to the UK to retire. At the time Ireland had just introduced a
plastic bag tax and we recognised the opportunity for jute bags,"
says Sam.
Jutexpo now has
operations in both the UK and India where the jute plant is grown by
the company's exclusive supply partner, Ganges Jute PVT Limited,
based in Bengal. Through the partnership Jutexpo looks after the
whole supply chain, from bales of jute through to the finished
product, and employs more than 5,000 people. By working closely with
its Indian partner in this manner Jutexpo aims to make the biggest
difference, recognising that social and economic sustainability is a
global issue.
As jute is traditionally
farmed in India, the plant is grown in similar conditions to organic
farming. There is crop rotation, no pesticides and nothing is
genetically modified.
For
Jutexpo, then, being truly sustainable has enhanced its commercial
strength. From small roots the business now has a turnover of more
than Ł6m and supplies its reusable carrier bags to supermarkets such
as Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose, as well as independent
retailers and charities including The National Trust and Red Cross.
Farmers for expediting jute purchase to ensure fair price
RANGPUR: The farmers
have called upon the government for expediting jute purchase through
the jute mills and the purchasing agencies of Bangladesh Jute Mills
Corporation (BJMC) to ensure fair price of the fibre.
Talking to BSS, the farmers said that they are selling the fibre at
rates between Taka 1,000 and 1,600 per mound (every 40kg) now in the
local markets when harvest of the crop is nearing completion.
Jute growers Echahaq Ali, Majibar Rahman and Abul Hossain expressed
disappointments over the lower market price of jute and said they
sold the fibre at rates up to Taka 2,200 per mound to earn good
profits in previous years.
As a result of slower pace of jute purchase, local syndicates and
fariahs are stockpiling jute after buying from the local markets at
the rates between Taka 1,000 and 1,500 per mound, they said.
Market price of jute might rise up to Taka 2,200 per mound like in
the previous years if purchasing agencies of BJMC would start buying
the fibre with their full capacities to fulfill the fixed purchasing
targets, they said.
The farmers requested the government for instructing all purchasing
agencies to buy jute of all qualities at different rates to ensure
fair price and maintain the farmers' trend for increasing jute
farming onwards.
According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources,
farmers exceeded jute cultivation target by about 10.50 percent this
season and over 85 percent harvest has so far been completed on an
average in northern region.
The farmers have cultivated jute in 2,25,476 hectares land, which is
higher by 21,403 hectares (10.50 percent) than the fixed target of
bringing 2,04,073 hectares to produce 21,73,309 bales jute this
season in the region.
They have cultivated Tosha variety jute in 2,02,831 hectares against
the fixed target of 1,77,895 hectares, local variety in 72,822
hectares against 25,298 hectares and Mechhta in 4,823 hectares
against the fixed target of 880 hectares land, the DAE sources
added.
Indian govt releases Rs. 577mn subsidy for jute mills
Smt. Panabaaka Lakshmi,
Minister of State in the Ministry Of Textiles, has informed that
there are 83 composite jute mills in the country. Out of the total
83 jute mills, 64 jute mills are located in West Bengal, 3 each in
Bihar and U.P., 7 in Andhra Pradesh, 2 each in Assam and Orissa, 1
each in Tripura and Chhattisgarh. State-wise data about production
and export of jute bags is not readily available and shall be laid
on the table of the house in due course of time.
During the last year,
the average price of jute bags has shown a decline with respect to
the previous two years when there was a substantial increase over
earlier years. This trend, however, is in sync with the Government
price for the jute bags procured through the Directorate General of
Supplies & Disposals (DGS&D).
Out of 83 composite jute
mills, 6 mills are under Government of India’s Public Sector
Undertaking, 1 mill (Tripura) is under State Government, 2 mills
(Assam Co-op. & New Central) are in the co-operative sector and 74
are privately owned mills. As per the decision of Cabinet Committee
on Economic Affairs, out of the six Government jute mills, three are
to be modernised.
The process of
modernisation has been initiated. The onus of modernisation of
private mills is on their respective owners. However, under the Jute
Technology Mission, subsidy is given to the jute mills/jute units
for modernisation and upgradation.
The
upper limit of subsidy is Rs. 3.50 croreper jute mills for the
existing units and Rs.4.00crore for mills at North Eastern States
and for setting up new units. As on 31st March, 2012, a subsidy of
Rs.57.71 crore has been released against investment for
modernisation of Rs.283.06 crore.
Siliguri (West Bengal): Jute growers here are apprehensive over the
fair price of jute, despite its adequate production in the region.
Speaking to media on Sunday, M. D. Hussein, a farmer, expressed his
concern for not getting appropriate prices of jute.
“We are dependent on agriculture. We cultivate jute but we don’t get
the proper prices for our produce, and apart from that there are
environmental issues as well,” he said.
Hussein added that rising prices of essential commodities has
severely affected their livelihood.
“The cost of cultivation is high these days and the rate of labour
has also increased. Also the prices of all the essential commodities
are increasing. If we get high price for our produce, we shall
benefit,” he added.
The commodity prices of jute last year had crashed internationally
had also affected trade figure.
West
Bengal accounts for over 60 percent of the country’s total jute
output, while the rest is produced in Orissa and the northeastern
states. (ANI)
Jute rotting faces problem for want of adequate water in Bangladesh
Jute farmers of several northern districts are facing problem to rot
and process the natural fibre as water bodies have dried up due to
scanty rainfall during the last one month. Jute farmers in Natore
district, who got poor yield due to insufficient rainfall during the
cultivation season, are now upset as huge amounts of the harvested
crop are getting dried and turning reddish, reports our Natore
correspondent Bulbul Ahmed.
Jamal Uddin of Bangabaria village under Tebaria union in Natore
Sadar upazila cultivated jute on his 200 decimals of land this year
and got a poor yield. Now he is facing problem to rot the plants due
to lack of water.
"As there is scanty water in local water bodies, we have to manage
water with shallow machine to rot jute plants. Insufficient rainfall
and unplanned construction of several sluice gates in the area has
led to the situation," said Nantu Mian, a jute grower of Chaugachhi
village under Kafuria union in Sadar upazila. Many other jute
growers in the area are facing the same problem.
According to local Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), jute
was cultivated on 18,500 hectares of land in six upazilas of the
district this year while it was cultivated on 19,855 hectares last
year. Rahmatullah Sarker, deputy director (DD) of Natore DAE, said
they have introduced 'ribbon retting' method to the jute growers for
rotting the plants with much less water. But the farmers are hardly
following the suggestion for rotting jute using ribbon retting
method, said SM Mostafizur Rahman, crops production specialist of
DAE office at Natore.
Jute growers, on the other hand, said it is not possible to rot jute
plants in large scale with ribbon retting system. Besides, the jute
sticks cannot be used for purposes other than burning after rotting
jute plants using ribbon retting method, they said.
Jute offices of different districts informed that a maund (40 kg) of
good quality jute is selling from Tk 1200-1400, depending on the
quality. Many farmers said just before the beginning of current
harvesting season, jute kept at traders' godowns was sold at Tk 1600
but the price drastically fell as soon as the harvesting began.
Our Gaibandha Correspondent KM Rezaul Haque reports: Growers in
Gaibandha district could not process raw jute by rotting, as pools
or marshy lands have dried up due to scanty rainfall during the last
one month. Piled up jute stalks on the field are drying up under the
open sky.
District DAE introduced ribbon retting process for rotting raw jute
during last two years for ensuring better quality of jute. The DAE
officials meanwhile supplied 1,500 ribbon retting machines among the
farmers of Sadar, Gobindaganj, Palashbari, Sadullapur, Sunderganj,
Saghata and Fulchhari upazilas in Gaibandha district and provided
training to one lakh 50 thousand jute growers in the district for
the purpose.
The farmers, however, are showing reluctance to use ribbon retting
process, Despite water crisis, they are still adopting traditional
method of jute rotting, and so, they are not getting expected
quality of jute and deprived of its fair prices, DAE officials said.
"I have placed jute stalks for rotting in a canal seven days ago,
but the water dried up before the rotting completed. If there is no
rain within next few days I will have to bear additional cost for
carrying the jute to a water body elsewhere," said Atowar Rahman a
jute grower of Ghegar Bazar in Sadullapur upazila.
It will take some more time to motivate jute growers for using
ribbon retting process that will undoubtedly enhance the quality of
fibre and ensure its sale for higher prices, said Mir Md Abdur
Razzak, deputy director of DAE in Gaibandha.
Business with a heart - Dharti Jute Emporium, India rides on the
twin causes of women empowerment and spreading eco-awareness
Wooden toys, abacuses,
jute bags, floor carpets, Warli jute paintings, clocks, terracotta
jewellery, jute jewellery and busts are some of the handmade
products available at Dharti Jute Emporium that recently opened a
shop in Chetpet. It’s Dharti’s fifth showroom, after one each in
Alwarpet and Coimbatore and two in Puducherry.
For K. Srikanth and his
family, who have been in the jute business for over a couple of
decades, this showroom is a means of spreading awareness about
sustainable products. “All the products are made by women self-help
groups from across the country,” says Srikanth. “Everything here is
made of wood, cloth, jute, paper or other natural products. Through
this initiative, we hope to have more people using eco-friendly
products.”
The roots of Dharti were
sown over a decade ago, when Srikanth opened his first showroom in
Alwarpet. “I was into jute packaging till the late 1990s when woven
sacks became a popular replacement for jute. People such as me had
to find an alternative use for the product. It was around this time
that diversified jute fabrics became available. So I set up a
showroom. We bought bags from Kolkata, opened a showroom and worked
backwards. We trained women to support our growing orders,” he says.
In 2005, he set up the
Development of Hessian Articles Research and Training Institution,
an NGO based out of Puducherry, to train underprivileged women.
“We train women in
knitting, printing, embroidery, bag-making and so on. The trick is
to identify what each of them is good at and help them specialise in
that area. We have one or two sessions a month, where we teach about
15 techniques or concentrate on one specific style. So far, we’ve
trained more than 1,500 women,” he says.
Dharti is also one of
the 33 Jute Service Centres of the National Jute Board, and
organises training for women registered under them.
Training backwards
“We always train from
backwards. We teach them to market a product, which helps them
realise what sells, and then train them to meet the requirement of
the orders they’ve received. This keeps their interests intact over
a longer period of time. We haven’t advertised even once in these
eight to 10 years; it’s all through word-of-mouth,” says Srikanth.
“We get products from
the other 32 Centres across the country, and they take our products
too. This way we make sure all our products have a wider reach.”
The Common Facility
Centres he set up in certain pockets also help ensure that different
groups can work together for no charge. “Sometimes, after the
training is over, women may not find it very useful to have a
machine at home. At these common centres they can work alone or
together. Not all the women we train work for us. But since we have
a continuous demand, we can always provide them with work.”
What began as a business
venture eventually took a social twist. I started this as a
business, but when I saw how this training improved the lives of
these women and their families, I became committed to the cause.”
Ready Position (in taka)
Bangla white special (BW special) 14,000 Bangla white A (BWA) 13,700
Bangla white B (BWB) 12,800 Bangla white C (BWC) 11,300 Bangla white
D (BWD) 10,850 Bangla white E (BWE) 10,400 Bangla tossa special
(BTS) 14,300 Bangla tossa A (BTA) 14,000 Bangla tossa B (BTB) 13,100
Bangla tossa C (BTC) 11,600 Bangla tossa D (BTD) 11,150 Bangla tossa
E (BTE) 10,700
CUTTINGS Bangla white
cuttings A (BWCA) 6,800 Bangla white cuttings B (BWCB) 6,600 Bangla
tossa cuttings A (BTCA) 7,100 Bangla tossa cuttings B (BTCB) 6,900
MESHTA Meshta special
14,000 Meshta A 13,700 Meshta B 12,800 Meshta C 11,300 Special
meshta cuttings 6,800 Ordinary meshta cuttings 6,600 Meshta- SMR
9,000
STATE OF THE
MARKET--REMARKS Quality - good Condition - fair Narayanganj imports
- About 3,000 Qntl. Daulatpur imports - About 8,000 Qntl. Market
trend - As usual
NOTE Raw jute exports
during 2011-2012 (01.07.2011 to 31.05.2012) = 2.07 million bales
Value 13.98 billion taka ($1 = 81.38 taka) Source: Bangladesh Jute
Association, Dhaka +880-2-9552916, Narayanganj +880-2-7630904
RANGPUR: Experts at a
farmers’ field day yesterday said the low-cost ribbon retting
technology helps rotting jute plants amid droughts and water
scarcity to get upgraded quality of the fibre with increased
production. Large-scale adoption of the technology would become
indispensable in future following adverse climate change impact that
affects agriculture sector also creating water scarcity for rotting
jute plants, they said.
They were addressing the farmers' field day on 'Extension of Ribbon
Retting Technology of Jute at Farmers' Levels' at Paschim Ekorchali
village under Taraganj upazila here. Rangpur Research Regional
Station of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) organised the
function with the assistances of the Department of Agriculture
Extension (DAE) for disseminating the technology among farmers at
grassroots levels.
With Ekorchali union chairman Mobarak Hossain in the chair, Deputy
Director of DAE, Rangpur Golam Sobhani attended the programme as the
chief guest.
Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Abdul Wajed, Upazila Agriculture
Officer Samir Chandra Ghosh, Regional Field Officer of Seed
Certification Agency Md Moniruzzaman and its Field Officer Dr
Mustafizur Rahman Pradhan attended as the special guests.
Principal Scientific Officer of Rangpur Regional Station of BJRI Dr
Md Aiyub Khan addressed as the Subject Specialist while its
Scientific Officer Manika Rani Debnath also spoke on ribbon retting
technology.
The experts provided practical and on-spot knowledge to 200 farmers
on ribbon retting technology for separating jute fibre from
harvested jute plants and rotting those easily adopting the
technology.
In his speech, Dr Ayub Khan narrated the lowest-cost ribbon retting
technology and its tremendous benefits in overcoming drought-like
situation and water scarcity for rotting jute plants to get best
quality fibre with maximum prices.
He said increasing multidimensional use of jute products increases
jute demand faster in global markets following adverse effects of
synthetic fibre on environment ushering a new hope for revival past
glory of the golden fibre.
He also elaborated various traditional and low-cost retting ways
including ribbon retting during droughts or water scarcity to
improve the quality and grade of jute-kenaf/mesta-fibre to ensure
higher market prices.
They called upon the farmers for increasing production of quality
jute fibre adopting the latest ribbon retting technology as global
jute demand has been increasing for its expanded use as construction
materials, geo-textiles, bodies of cars etc.
There are 83 composite jute
mills in the country. Out of the total 83 jute mills, 64 jute mills
are located in West Bengal, 3 each in Bihar and U.P., 7 in Andhra
Pradesh, 2 each in Assamand Orissa, 1 each in Tripuraand
Chhattisgarh. State-wise data about production and export of jute
bags is not readily available and shall be laid on the table of the
house in due course of time. However, the details of production and
export of jute bags during the last three years in the country is as
under:
(Quantity in ‘000 M.Tons)
Year
Production
Export
2009-10
921.6
26.5
2010-11
1076.9
40.6
2011-12
1165.1
81.1
During the last year, the
average price of jute bags has shown a decline with respect to the
previous two years when there was a substantial increase over
earlier years. This trend, however, is in sync with the Government
price for the jute bags procured through the Directorate General of
Supplies & Disposals (DGS&D). The details are as follows:-
(In Rs. / M. Ton)
Year
Govt. Price
(Average)
Market Price
(Average)
B.Twill
B.Twill
A.Twill (used for
sugar packing)
2002-03
23760
22635
22085
2003-04
22636
21966
21452
2004-05
24840
23708
23689
2005-06
29832
28385
27599
2006-07
30014
30507
30077
2007-08
28194
27361
27153
2008-09
32108
32441
31362
2009-10
42,332
41,967
42,162
2010-11
53,193
49,119
49,718
2011-12
49,820
48,989
49,195
State participation in
supply and distribution of sugar being minimal compared to that in
foodgrainslike wheat, paddy/rice, Sugar Sector procures its
requirement of jute bags from the open market where availability of
jute bags has been adequate. The Government, at the time of
determining the percentage of foodgrains and sugar to be packed in
jute bags, inter-alia, takesinto account the availability of raw
jute and the jute bag making capacity of the mills along with the
projected demand for packaging of the foodgrains& sugar. Though,
there has been an increase in the prices of jute bags over the years
for sugar, it has been generally in sync with the Government price
for jute bags procured for foodgrains.
Out of 83 composite jute
mills, 6 mills are under Government of India’s Public Sector
Undertaking, 1 mill (Tripura) is under State Government, 2 mills
(Assam Co-op. & New Central) are in the co-operative sector and 74
are privately owned mills. As per the decision of Cabinet Committee
on Economic Affairs, out of the six Government jute mills, three are
to be modernised. The process of modernisation has been initiated.
The onus of modernisation of private mills is on their respective
owners. However, under the Jute Technology Mission, subsidy is given
to the jute mills/jute units for modernisation and upgradation. The
upper limit of subsidy is Rs. 3.50 croreper jute mills for the
existing units and Rs.4.00crore for mills at North Eastern States
and for setting up new units. As on 31st March, 2012, a subsidy of
Rs.57.71 crore has been released against investment for
modernisation of Rs.283.06 crore.
This information was given
by the Minister of State in the Ministry Of Textiles, Smt. Panabaaka
Lakshmi in a written reply in the Lok Sabhatoday.
Source: Press information Bureau, Government of India
Considering empowerment of
the jute, kenaf and allied fibres industry, it is vital to amend the
Jute Packaging Act so as to allow introduction of avant-garde
technology, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Kiran Dhingra, has
said.
Speaking at a conference on
'Application and Commercialization of Natural Fibres Composites in
Infrastructure, Construction, Housing and Automotive Sectors' in New
Delhi, she said about 3.5 million jute mill workers in India are
directly engaged in the jute packaging process, and this has always
restricted use of high-tech technology in the process of packaging.
Hence, there is a need for
amending the Jute Packaging Act to provide a boost to the jute and
other allied fibres industry, Ms. Dhingra said.
Aimed at boosting
production of raw jute and jute packaging material, and to benefit
the people engaged in jute production and other allied processes,
the Act ordains compulsory use of jute packaging for supply and
distribution of certain commodities.
Ms. Dhingra said jute
composites have great potential with high physical properties and
deliver exceptional performance at low weight, that is, high
toughness, great strength and low density. It is expected that the
market size of bio-composites would grow from 2010’s US$ 2.1 billion
to US$ 3.8 billion by 2016.
As indicated by a study,
there is a scope for use of about 20 kg of natural fibre in each of
the around 6,000-7,000 million vehicles being manufactured across
the world each year, she added.
Natural fibres,
particularly jute, kenaf and allied fibres, find utility in
production of automobile and infrastructure across the globe as a
preferred alternative of synthetic fibres like glass, aramid,
carbon, electrical or e-glass and polyethylene (PE) fibres, the
Textiles Secretary noted.
The Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organized the conference
in association with International Jute Study Group (IJSG),
Bangladesh and National Jute Board.
The news item entitled
“Last 2 years' losses still haunt jute growers,” published in this
daily recently, raised concern over the future of jute cultivation.
The report says that jute growers are worried about its market
prices, especially against the backdrop of huge losses in last two
seasons. By this time, this season's jute harvesting has already
started and it is expected that the farmers will get bumper
production. In addition, farmers are not facing any trouble this
season to rot jute though they faced problem during the last two
seasons due to shortage of water.
However, jute cultivation
is expanding gradually. For instance, in 2009, the area of jute
cultivation in Dinajpur and Joypurhat districts were only 4,578 and
2,095 hectares respectively. This year 10,467 hectares of land was
brought under jute cultivation in Dinajpur and 3,450 hectares in
Joypurhat. But unfortunately, the rise of jute cultivation area and
its better production rather pose a challenge as the country's jute
market is shrinking.
It may be mentioned that
jute price was around Tk 600 to 800 per maund in 2010 and 2011 while
the production cost was around Tk 1,000 per maund.
So if the farmers incur
loss this season too, why will they continue growing jute the next
seasons?
The government should
explore markets of jute at home and abroad with vigorous marketing
policy by appointing right marketing professionals. We hope the
government would do the needful immediately for the sake of making
jute cultivation profitable.
KHULNA, Aug 11: Jute goods
worth about Tk 500 million have been lying unsold at the state-run
Jessore Jute Industries (JJI) for about one year. For this reason
mill authorities are worried over paying salary, wages and bonus to
the employees before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Sources said that the mill authority exported jute goods in the last
financial year worth Tk 0.36 million in June, Tk 6 million in
August, Tk 24.9 million in September, Tk 35.6 million in October, Tk
11.6 in November, Tk 11.6 in December, Tk 23.8 million in January,
Tk 25.5 million in February, Tk 56.6 million in March, Tk 29.3
million in April and Tk 38.5 million in May. But at present the mill
is in trouble with unsold jute goods.
Project head of the JJI AHM Nazmul Ahsan said that the production
fell by about 9 metric tonnes per day due to unrest among the
workers. He also said that the wages and salary had been paid to
workers and employees by taking loan from BJMC six month ago.
Source said that the mill expended Tk. 495.5 million and earned Tk.
487 million in 2010-2011 financial year.
JJI project head AHM Nazmul Ahsan said that Syria, Iraq, Jordern,
Thailand, India and United Kingdom are the main importer of
Bangladeshi jute goods. But at present they not buying jute goods
due to their internal problems.
Shun plastics! Bring back the reusable and recycled cotton or jute
bags
Shun the plastic bag and
carry a reusable cotton/jute bag when going shopping! If each one of
us can spare a few minutes, we can make the earth a better place to
live
Although India is reeling under the depressive conditions of the
poor monsoons with most areas having received inadequate rainfall,
customary preparations are underway to celebrate the Diwali festival
a few months from now.
As a general rule, Indians
are resilient enough to overcome the setbacks and are born optimists
who always look forward to a better tomorrow than today. Somehow,
things will change for the better, is their ‘gut’ feeling all the
time.
They are quick to realize
their own mistakes but not courageous enough to openly admit their
faults. And most manage to not repeat their mistakes. Yet, they are
quick to find fault with others, a trait that runs deep in their
system, but, again, they would not like to admit it in their own
selves!
Often, they are exposed to
attend meetings, seminars and workshops or conferences that cover
the need to protect the Environment. They hear about how each one
can really make a contribution to preserving the environment and
saving the earth from untold havoc that plastics can and cause, by
careless disposal methods.
It is not about the plastic
cards that they carry in their wallets that cause real trouble and
havoc in their finances but the bags that they get when they go for
shopping, whether it is to buy a kilo of onions or a few home
required items of grocery! Soon after they reach home, these plastic
bags land in the garbage cans, which, ultimately are dumped here,
there and everywhere!
Though the death toll would
vary from city to city, it is the stray cattle that become victims
when they munch through the garbage and get choked. In many places
these dumps are also hunting ground for stray dogs and street
scavengers who go through the rubbish to collect recyclable waste.
Unlike the westerners, whom
we ape in more ways than one, we have not yet learnt the real civic
responsibility is disposing the rubbish we generate every day at
home in terms of segregating the usable and the unusable waste.
For instance, most the wet
waste, such as the vegetable peels, stems, leaves, etc can be
converted into organic manure to start small kitchen gardens and
make the earth a better place to live in. After all, more greenery
will automatically invite nature's reaction by greater rainfall than
we have today. Every city can be a garden city!
We started this issue with
Diwali, didn’t we? Yes, most business houses have either placed or
in the process of placing orders for their Diwali gift boxes that
would carry a variety of sweets, dry fruits and so on. Sometimes,
these gift boxes will themselves be recycled and one may pass on the
incoming gift to another. After all, what can one do when he/she
receives so many gift boxes from well wishers?
Of course, these colourful
expensive cardboard boxes, gift wraps, plastic boxes and trays will
eventually find their way to the garbage piles, only to be collected
by poor scavengers for recycling.
What is the simple step
that we can take? Shun the plastic bag and carry a reusable
cotton/jute bag when going shopping!
As for the business houses,
here is a clarion call—why not make this year, the year of the
cotton gift bag and make it an annual issue? Cotton bags, carrying
your advertisements will be used over and over again, and remain
handy and useful for years to come.
Fashion shows are frequent
in the capital city these days, but it witnessed one with a
difference on Friday — Street Fashion Show.
Twenty young men, who wore
outfits made of jute, turned a stretch of the city’s road into a
ramp and sashayed down in style.
“Such shows are common in
other parts of India, but a rarity in Kerala,” said Aji Kumar
Sudhakaran, an upcoming designer who conceptualised, sponsored, and
executed the event. The models, who are mostly fresh faces, donned
the attires designed by Aji Kumar himself.
“I preferred jute as it is
quite comfortable to wear in our climate, but has not become popular
here yet,” the designer said.
Aji Kumar has conducted
similar events at Marine Drive in Kochi, and Technopark in the
capital in the past. “I am planning more of such shows here,
depending on the receptivity,” he said.
Why weren’t there any
female models? “First of all, girls here are reluctant to take part
in street fashion shows. Introducing non-Malayali models and
designing their outfits would be a costly affair and too much for my
shoulders to handle,” explained Aji Kumar, who worked as a manager
at Reliance Insurance before plunging into the world of glamour.
“I am fashion-crazy, and
wanted to make my own little contributions with a difference while
developing my portfolio,” he said.
Make Your Home Green and Eco Friendly with Jute Goods
I want to tell you about a
website( http://www.juteproductsindia.com/ ) which manufactures
plethora of interesting and eco friendly jute goods and products
which can be used in our homes, offices, schools, and other places
and all are made form bio friendly jute fiber. You will even find
stationery, apparels, footwear, bags, find furniture goods,
furnishing products, and decorative artifacts made from jute and
that too are so beautiful and enticing and thus also becoming a cool
option for eco friendly home decor.
These jute products have
great
advantages and potential to replace poly bags, and many other
products made from plastic and other non eco friendly stuff.
I think these jute made
things have great potential in contributing to make our environment
clean and green to make it a beautiful place to live. As jute has
many many environment friendly properties, like if it replace the
plastic bags then we can save billions of tons of petroleum oil
which is used to produce plastic and poly bags. And offcourse the
litter created produced by the poly bags will be reduced up to a big
extent.
If it succeeds in reducing
the usage of paper bags then millions of trees can be saved from
being lumbered.
If jute textile is also
accepted as apparels the cotton usage will be reduced and this way
lots of cultivable land can be used for food production(jute
requires very less agricultural land and very less time to grow)
this way total cultivatable acreage will be increased.
India is likely to witness
a fall in its jute production for the 2012-13 crop year as the
country has received about 20 percent less monsoon rains than usual
by July this year, according to the National Jute Board.
Hit by scanty rains in jute
growing states, India’s jute output for 2012-13 crop year is
expected to plummet by 12 percent from last year’s 10.2 million
bales (1 bale=332.5 kg) to 9 million bales, said Atri Bhattacharya,
Secretary of the National Jute Board.
He said scanty rains in
some states and downpour in Assam could adversely impact the crop
condition.
According to the
Agriculture Ministry statistics, as compared to last year’s 892,000
hectares, this season by now jute cultivation has been done on an
area of only 840,000 hectares.
In India, jute is mainly
grown in seven states, namely, Assam, Meghalaya, Orissa, Tripura,
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
Usually, jute is taken up
as an inter-crop during the interval between the two main
agricultural seasons – kharif and rabi. Each year, around five to
six percent of the total jute output is used to prepare about 1.6
million tons of jute products, while the remaining output is used by
farmers for manure and fuel.
Providing direct and
indirect employment to around four million people, the Indian jute
industry has mainly retained its focus on production of gunny bags,
but now the Textiles Ministry wants it to shift its focus to
production of items with better value-addition.
Time to re-visit Jute Packaging Act: Kiran Dhingra
To leverage the
jute, kenaf and allied fibres industry it is important to amend the
act to enable the industry to induct modern technology, said Kiran
Dhingra, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles.
Secretary textiles stated this on Tuesday at a conference on
'Application and Commercialization of Natural Fibres Composites in
Infrastructure, Construction, Housing and Automotive Sectors' in New
Delhi.
"In India around 3.5 million mill workers are directly employed in
the jute packaging process. However, this has invariably led to
restricted use of high-end technology in the process of packaging.
Hence, to leverage the jute, kenaf and allied fibres industry it is
important to re-visit the act," she said.
Jute Packaging Act is an Act to provide for the compulsory use of
jute packaging material in supply and distribution of certain
commodities in the interests of production of raw jute and jute
packaging material, and of persons engaged in the production thereof
and for matters connected therewith.
She affirmed, "Jute composites hold out great potential with high
physical properties and excellent performance at low weight, i.e.,
high stiffness, high strength and low density. It is estimated that
the market size of bio-composite will increase from USD 2.1 billion
in 2010 to USD 3.8 billion in 2016."
"A study indicates that there is scope for about 20 kg of natural
fibres to be used in approximately 6,000 to 7,000 million vehicles
being produced globally each year," she added.
"Natural fibres especially jute, kenaf and allied fibres are being
used in the manufacturing of automobile and infrastructure globally
as an optimum replacement of synthetic fibres such as glass, carbon,
aramid, electrical or e-glass and polyethylene (PE) fibres," Dhingra
remarked in her address.
The conference was organised by FICCI in association with
International Jute Study Group (IJSG), Bangladesh and National Jute
Board. It focused on strengthening Public Private Partnership (PPP)
in the natural fibre sector and exploring real-time approaches for
the application and commercialisation of the natural fibre
composites especially in infrastructure, construction, housing and
automotive sectors.
The Textiles Secretary also pointed out that the infrastructure is
another vibrant sector, which can witness niche applications of the
natural fibre composites.
"Infrastructure which includes building and construction materials
is adopting green technology for moving towards a sustainable
environment. Jute-based composites can be focused upon for
development as it holds the prospect for application in entirely new
areas leading to future development and an increased market share of
jute," she added.
Jute production in the country is expected to decline by 12% to 90
lakh bales in the 2012-13 crop year due to poor rains in the growing
states, the National Jute Board said today.
The country had produced 102 lakh bales of jute last year. One bale
of jute is equal to 332.5 kg. "Jute output is likely to be lower at
around 90 lakh bales this year," the Board's Secretary Atri
Bhattacharya told reporters on the sidelines of a Ficci function
here.
He said drought-like situation in some states and floods in Assam
could impact crop condition.
As per the Agriculture Ministry data, area sown under jute is lower
at 8.40 lakh hectare so far in the ongoing Kharif season, against
8.92 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.
Jute is cultivated in seven states — West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha,
Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh.
In fact sowing of most kharif crops, both food and cash crops, are
lagging behind due to poor rains. Monsoon rains were deficient by 20
per cent till July.
Jute is normally cultivated as an inter-crop between the two main
agricultural seasons, kharif and rabi. About 5-6% of the total
production is used for making 1.6 million tonnes of jute goods every
year. Farmers use the remaining fibre for manure and fuel.
The jute industry, which employs about 4 million people directly and
indirectly, has been mainly focusing on making gunny bags. The
Textiles Ministry wants the jute industry to produce more
value-added items.
Stressing the need for diversification of jute products, Textiles
Ministry Secretary Kiran Dhingra said: "We need to work for greater
value-addition to jute products before you can get the jute industry
to be in a frame of mind to shift to low-value added products".
The natural fibres, especially jute, kenaf and allied fibres, are
being diversely used in the manufacture of automobiles and
infrastructure in the world.
Ready Position (in taka) Bangla white special (BW special) 14,000
Bangla white A (BWA) 13,700 Bangla white B (BWB) 12,800 Bangla white
C (BWC) 11,300 Bangla white D (BWD) 10,850 Bangla white E (BWE)
10,400 Bangla tossa special (BTS) 14,300 Bangla tossa A (BTA) 14,000
Bangla tossa B (BTB) 13,100 Bangla tossa C (BTC) 11,600 Bangla tossa
D (BTD) 11,150 Bangla tossa E (BTE) 10,700
CUTTINGS Bangla white cuttings A (BWCA) 6,800 Bangla white cuttings
B (BWCB) 6,600 Bangla tossa cuttings A (BTCA) 7,100 Bangla tossa
cuttings B (BTCB) 6,900
MESHTA Meshta special 14,000 Meshta A 13,700 Meshta B 12,800 Meshta
C 11,300 Special meshta cuttings 6,800 Ordinary meshta cuttings
6,600 Meshta- SMR 9,000
STATE OF THE MARKET--REMARKS Quality - good Condition - fair
Narayanganj imports - About 3,000 Qntl. Daulatpur imports - About
8,000 Qntl. Market trend - As usual
NOTE Raw jute exports during 2011-2012 (01.07.2011 to 31.05.2012) =
2.07 million bales Value 13.98 billion taka ($1 = 81.55 taka)
Source: Bangladesh Jute Association, Dhaka +880-2-9552916,
Narayanganj +880-2-7630904
State-run jute-mills' profit plunges again in FY12
Profit of most of the state-run jute-mills nosedived again in the
just concluded fiscal year (FY) 2011-12, statistics show.Out of the
18 jute-mills, run by the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC),
only six could earn profit in the FY12, against nine mills in the
previous fiscal.
The mills which could earn profit in 2011-12 were: Latif Bawani Jute
Mills, Jatiya Jute Mills, Rajshahi Jute Mills, Gul Ahmed Jute Mills,
Bangladesh Jute Mills, and Khalishpur Jute Mills. The BJMC officials
said rest of the jute-mills incurred significant loss in the just
concluded fiscal, but declined to disclose the amount of loss.
The state-run jute-mills came out of the saga of continuous loss
after 29 years in the fiscal 2010-11, creating the hope of regaining
the golden fibre's glorious past. Presently 18 state-run jute-mills
are in full-fledged operation, three are in the process of starting
production, two are given lease to private sector entrepreneurs, and
one is closed. Three other non-jute mills of the BJMC are also in
operation.
A director of the BJMC told the FE that most of the mills incurred
loss due to price hike of electricity and petrol oil and lubricant.
He said production cost of the BJMC-run mills has increased
significantly following the increased price of power and energy.
Statistics show that production of the BJMC-run jute-mills has
increased by 10,000 tonnes to 176,000 tonnes in the fiscal 2011-12
against 166,000 tonnes in the fiscal 2010-11.
Textile and Jute Secretary Ashraful Maqbul told the FE that the
demand of jute goods has decreased significantly due to global
economic recession and unrest in the Middle-Eastern countries. "Our
mills are century-old, and most of their machineries are outdated.
So, those mills fail to produce goods at expected level. They
urgently need Balancing Modernization Rehabilitation and Expansion (BMRE)."
The secretary said a project worth Tk 10 billion for the BMRE of the
state-run jute-mills is now at final stage. "We are hopeful of
starting the process soon and expect a positive outcome from it," he
added.
Rain god blesses jute, cotton and sugarcane farmers
A day after the government officially declared 15 per cent deficient
monsoon this year, sowing of sugarcane, cotton and jute has already
surpassed normal levels up to August 3. However, cultivation of
rice, coarse cereals, pulses and oilseeds continued to be less than
normal, though the deficit has narrowed down in case of rice and
oilseeds over the past one week.
Data released by the agriculture ministry on Friday about the area
under cultivation of kharif crops showed sugarcane cultivation has
gone up 13.2 per cent so far this year at 52.8 lakh hectares,
compared with the normal crop area of 46.7 lakh hectares, while jute
and mesta cultivation is up 2.2 per cent to 8.4 lakh hectares, from
8.22 lakh hectares. Cotton cultivation, too, has grown a little to
100.14 lakh hectares from the normal level of 99.89 lakh hectares.
Rice cultivation picked up last week, narrowing the deficit from 19
per cent to just 2.9 per cent, with the total area under cultivation
rising to 233.68 lakh hectares, compared with the normal level of
240.89 lakh hectares. Cultivation of oilseeds picked up
significantly during the week and stood at 145.2 lakh hectares,
compared with the normal level of 145.49 lakh hectares, thereby,
bringing down the deficit to less than one per cent.
However, cultivation of pulses and coarse cereals continued to be
significantly lower than normal, thereby pointing towards a probable
shortage of these commodities in the coming months. While
cultivation of coarse cereals stood at 135.75 lakh hectares, 19.8
per cent below the normal level of 169.30 lakh hectares in case of a
normal monsoon, cultivation of pulses was 13.5 per cent below normal
at 72.79 lakh hectares, down from 84.15 lakh hectares.
“The acreage under major crops has fallen by eight per cent
year-on-year to 668 lakh hectares, with acreage of cereals and
pulses down by 27 per cent and 21 per cent,” it said.
It also said total live storage of the 84 major reservoirs stood
significantly lower at 30 billion cubic metres (bcm), compared with
46 bcm last year and a LPA (long-period average) of 30 bcm.
“Full season deficient rainfall would also imply lower reservoir
level by end of the season. Hence, there is a risk to both rain-fed
kharif and reservoir-dependant rabi production,” the brokerage said.
Meanwhile, the government has included coarse cereals and fodder
crops under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in the 12th
five-year plan along with rice, wheat and pulses.
Under NFSM, the government has set a target of increasing foodgrain
production by 25 million tonnes during 2012-17, and has already
allocated Rs 1,800 crore to the states this year to raise
productivity of these crops through adoption of improved inputs and
technology packages. During the 11th plan, foodgrain production
under NFSM was 25 million tonnes higher.
Jute industry eyes new markets to scale up exports
Kolkata: In an effort to step up exports, the jute industry is
considering geographies such as West Asia and Eastern Europe.
Plans are also afoot to consolidate presence in the US, Canada and
Turkey.
Exports currently account for about 20 per cent of the Rs
8,500-crore jute market in the country, said Mr Atri Bhattacharya,
Secretary, National Jute Board and the Jute Commissioner of India.
“The industry is likely to clock over 16 per cent growth in exports
to $350 million (approximately Rs 1,925 crore at current exchange
rate) this year from about $300 million in 2011-12. This will be
aided by the industry’s possible foray into new markets,” Mr
Bhattacharya said.
The US accounts for about 15-18 per cent of the country’s total
exports. “A majority of the exports is in the form of yarn and
fabrics. We are planning to strengthen our presence in the US by
focusing on diversified jute products such as bags, accessories and
apparels,” he said.
Turkey, which was once a traditional market for jute exports, would
also be revived, he added. “We have lost our market share in Turkey
over the last few years. We plan to revive the market by focusing on
value added products,” he said.
According to Mr Bhattacharya, there is a demand for jute products
such as shopping bags, furnishings and geotextile in the European
markets of Germany and Belgium, West Asian markets of Dubai and
Saudi Arabia and the CIS States. There is also a good demand for
food grade bags in the African countries of Kenya and Ghana.
Jute mills seek more time to reply to antitrust watchdog’s notices
Jute mills in West Bengal have sought more time to respond to
notices issued last week by the antitrust watchdog on complaints
from the sugar lobby that these firms artificially raised the prices
of jute bags. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) sent notices
to eight jute mills in the state seeking details on their supply of
jute bags to the sugar industry in 2010-11.
It gave them until 30 June to reply. The jute mills owners have
asked CCI for an additional four weeks to reply. The watchdog also
asked the jute mill owners to disclose how they priced their bags,
said R.K. Poddar, owner of Ganges Manufacturing Co. Ltd (GMCL), who
has three jute mills in West Bengal and was issued the CCI notice.
In July last year, the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) filed a
complaint with the CCI that the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA)
and the Gunny Traders Association (GTA) had formed a nexus and were
artificially manipulating prices of jute gunny bags.
Business Standard reported on the CCI notices to the jute mills on
28 June. India manufactures around 1 million tonnes of jute bags a
year, mostly for the food and sugar industries. West Bengal has 54
jute mills and accounts for 80% of the total jute production in the
country. Jute is therefore a politically sensitive commodity in the
state.
“The complaint of the sugar industry that jute bag makers are
indulging in monopoly practices is totally baseless and
self-defeating as they (sugar manufacturers) are unlawfully using
alternative materials and thus evading the Jute Packaging Materials
Act,” Poddar said. According to an 11 January notification issued by
the textile ministry, all the foodgrain and sugar produced in the
country have to be packed in jute bags manufactured by locally
produced jute.
Manish Poddar, chairman, IJMA, said the sugar industry was
defaulting on this obligation.
Sugar mills are required to use only jute bags for packaging but are
meeting 70% of their requirement with plastic substitutes, he said.
GMCL’s Poddar said sugar mills were also dodging directives issued
by the Sugar Directorate by using jute bags of 100kg in place of the
mandated 50kg bags. An ISMA executive denied this claim. He, in
turn, said the jute mills were manufacturing bags of an inferior
quality. A jute bag with a capacity of 50kg should weigh 630 grams,
but jute mills manufacture bags that are 100-200 grams lighter, he
said. “This difference has to be made good by adding extra sugar to
each bag to meet weight requirements. On an industrial scale, this
counts for a lot of extra sugar,” he said.
ISMA provided data showing that the price of a 100 kg jute bag for
packing sugar had increased from Rs.32-42.50 a bag in 2008-09 to
Rs.55-61 a bag in 2010-11. IJMA’s Poddar said the price of a 5kg
jute bag had increased from Rs.40 four years ago to Rs.60 last year
and Rs.50 now and that this was a function of the rising price of
raw jute. “Price is determined by the demand-supply situation and
whatever fluctuation (in price) took place in recent times was
entirely demand-driven,” he said.
Mint could not independently verify these figures.
GMCL’s Poddar said that though the GTA gives out daily indicative
price quotations depending on past trends, most jute manufacturers
price their products according to their own business dynamics.
Kolkata: West Bengal could have two jute parks, one each in Burdwan
and North Dinajpur districts, by the end of 2012, am official said
on Monday. "We are expecting that at least by the end of this
calendar year, wecould have two jute parks in the state," Jute
Commissioner in the central textiles ministry and National Jute
Board Secretary Atri Bhattacharya told reporters on the sidelines of
an event, organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce here.
The parks, to be set up at Shaktigarh in Burdwan district and
Raniganj in North Dinajpur district, are a part of the four upcoming
parks in the country planned by the textile ministry under the Jute
Technology Mission. The other two are to be located in Purnea in
Bihar and in Silchar in Assam, which are likely to become
operational by the end of the current fiscal.
Under the Jute Technology Mission, the government had introduced a
scheme for establishing jute parks in the country. The subsidy
available under this scheme for establishment of the jute parks is
40 percent of the eligible cost for setting up common infrastructure
in the park(excluding the cost of land), subject to a maximum of
Rs.7.5 crore. The initial infrastructural investment in the parks is
around Rs.50 crore, Bhattacharya said.
"Jute is an environment friendly fibre and the industry is the
second largest in West Bengal. However, without diversification,
this Rs.8500 crore industry is not going to survive," said
Bhattacharya at an interactive session organized by the Bharat
Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata on Monday.
Bhattacharya pointed out that jute is the fibre of the future since
it is bio-degradable.
He said that without diversification this industry is going to die
especially now that China has entered into jute industry in
collaboration with Bangladesh and the quality of Bangladesh jute is
better than Indian jute.
But, Bhattacharya rued that the industry spends only Rs. 60 crore
for Research and Development in five years.
Listing the problems of the industry like lack of labourers, bad
working condition of the mills, dwindling acreage, the Jute
Commissioner said that the union government has schemes to support
manufacturers and government will also help in advertising and
branding of the product.
Ready Position (in taka) Bangla white special (BW special) 14,000
Bangla white A (BWA) 13,700 Bangla white B (BWB) 12,800 Bangla white
C (BWC) 11,300 Bangla white D (BWD) 10,850 Bangla white E (BWE)
10,400 Bangla tossa special (BTS) 14,300 Bangla tossa A (BTA) 14,000
Bangla tossa B (BTB) 13,100 Bangla tossa C (BTC) 11,600 Bangla tossa
D (BTD) 11,150 Bangla tossa E (BTE) 10,700
CUTTINGS Bangla white cuttings A (BWCA) 6,800 Bangla white cuttings
B (BWCB) 6,600 Bangla tossa cuttings A (BTCA) 7,100 Bangla tossa
cuttings B (BTCB) 6,900
MESHTA Meshta special 14,000 Meshta A 13,700 Meshta B 12,800 Meshta
C 11,300 Special meshta cuttings 6,800 Ordinary meshta cuttings
6,600 Meshta- SMR 9,000
STATE OF THE MARKET--REMARKS Quality - good Condition - fair
Narayanganj imports - About 3,000 Qntl. Daulatpur imports - About
8,000 Qntl. Market trend - As usual
NOTE Raw jute exports during 2011-2012 (01.07.2011 to 30.04.2012) =
1.99 million bales Value 13.45 billion taka ($1 = 81.82 taka)
Source: Bangladesh Jute Association, Dhaka +880-2-9552916,
Narayanganj +880-2-7630904
Many of you may have not thought such, but the truth is US sanction
on Iran is hampering Bangladesh economically! Yes, export of jute
and jute products from Bangladesh has dropped down sharply due to
the sanction., reports fibre2fashion.com.
Quoting the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of Bangladesh the website
reports that export of jute and jute products to from Bangladesh
decreased to US$ 889.45 million during July-May 2011-12 that is 11
percent lower than the corresponding period of previous fiscal year.
During the same time frame in 2010-11 fiscal Bangladesh had exported
jute goods and products worth US$ 1 billion. According to the
fibre2fashion.com “The sanctions imposed by Western countries
against Iran, is one of the reasons for decline in Bangladeshi jute
exports, as Iran is one of the major importers of Bangladeshi raw
jute and jute goods.”
Until fiscal 2010-11, exports of Bangladeshi jute and jute products
to Iran increased gradually, says the report. “But post-sanctions,
exporters are finding it difficult to realize payments as most of
the banks through which the export payments were collected so far
have been blacklisted.”
“The financial crisis in Europe, political turmoil in some Middle
East countries, floods in Thailand, earthquake in Turkey and fears
of global recession are also cited by exporters as the reasons for
sluggish demand for Bangladeshi jute and jute items.” Growth of raw
jute exports dropped by 26.51 percent in fiscal year 2011-12, which
ended on June 30, compared to growth of 53 percent achieved in
2010-11, EPB data showed.
JESSORE, BANGLADESH: The farmers of ten southwestern districts in
Khulna division are expecting a bumper jute production in the
current season. Ten districts are-Jessore, Narail, Jhenidah, Magura,
Kushtia, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat. The
Jessore-based regional office of the Department of Agricultural
Extension (DAE) fixed a target to cultivate 1,88,493 hectares of
land with production target of 20,82,542 bells of jute in the
region.
The district-wise break-up of jute cultivation is 21,446 hectares of
land cultivated in Jessore, 22,302 hectares of land in Narail,
21,065 hectares of land in Jhenidah, 30,445 hectares of land in
Magura, 34,905 hectares of land in Kushtia, 19,700 hectares of land
in Chuadanga, 23,405 hectares of land in Meherpur, 2,140 hectares of
land in Khulna, 11,835 hectares of land in Satkhira and 1,250
hectares of land cultivated in Bagerhat district.
Additional director of Jessore Regional Agriculture Extension
Department Abdul Mannan said favorable climate, adequate supply of
fertilizers and pesticides may help the bumper production of Jute.
Deputy Director of Narail DAE Chabi Hari Das said farmers cultivated
high yielding variety of jute in their land with the assistance of
Department of Agriculture Extension.
The Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) and other government and
on-government banks had disbursed adequate crop loans to make the
Jute cultivation a complete success in the region.
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Jute production is likely to be lower this year on delayed rainfall,
according to Mr Atri Bhattacharya, Secretary, National Jute Board
and Jute Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles.
Market sources estimate that there could be a 12 per cent drop in
production of raw jute to 95 lakh bales (1 bale – 180 kg) this year,
as compared with 108 lakh bales in 2011-12.
“Last year we saw a good crop on account of favourable weather and
availability of seeds. This year, however, the crop is likely to
take a beating due to delayed rain,” Mr Bhattacharya said at an
interactive session on ‘Jute and Bengal’ organised by the Bharat
Chamber of Commerce here on Monday.
Jute sowing usually starts by the end of March and continues up to
the end of May. Sowing requires a hot and humid weather with regular
bouts of showers. However, this year, the State did not receive
adequate showers that are ideal for sowing.
However, the area under jute production is likely to remain the
same, he said.
Earnings from jute and jute goods slowed in July-May period of the
just-out fiscal year as the sanction on Iran and price cuts bite
exporters, industry insiders said Sunday. Exports to Iran, one of
major destinations of Bangladeshi raw jute and jute goods, have
almost halved during the period as the country has been facing
difficulties in clearing import payments in US Dollar since the UN
sanction, the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data showed.
The country's exports of jute and jute goods amounted to $889.45
million during July-May period of 2011-12 fiscal, down from $1.0
billion in the corresponding period of a year ago, according to the
EPB. Exporters also attributed sluggish demand for jute to the
political turmoil in the Middle East, economic gloom in Europe and
fears of global recession.
"Direct and indirect pressure from the US and the EU on Bangladesh
for not doing business with Iran is also seen as a reason for the
sluggish shipment of jute, the second biggest foreign exchange
earner after apparel. "Export of jute and jute goods to Iran has
been increasing gradually till last the fiscal year of 2010-11, but
in the current year, export of such products have drastically fallen
due to the international pressure," a managing director of a leading
Jute mill told the FE preferring anonymity.
He also said what ever goods the local millers have delivered could
not yet realize payment as the world leaders have black listed most
of the banks with whom local banks would so far collect export
payments. "Our exports are facing headwinds in almost all export
destinations. Export earnings in terms of value and volume have
declined, which has given rise to stockpiling," marketing director
for Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) Shamsul Haque said.
Growth of export earnings from jute and jute goods fell by over13
per cent in fiscal 2011-12 from around 36 per cent in the previous
year, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data. The BJMC
official said economic sanctions on Iran and Syria hurt jute exports
in those countries, as buyers are unable to pay for a shortage of
international currencies.
Industry people said that India consumes most of its production
locally as it ensures the compliance of its packaging act. "If we
could ensure implementation of the law, we would not have to sit on
stocks of unsold jute goods," said a BJMC high official. Industry
people also said any kind of setback in the sector will have a
negative impact on thousands of poor farmers of the country.
3 years on, plastic bag use rampant, ban only on paper
GURGAON: The administration first woke up to one of the major
threats to the environment and took action against the use of
plastic bags in the city about three years ago. However, the
three-year-old ban on the use of plastic bags exists largely only on
paper. The bags are still widely used by customers and shopkeepers
in blatant defiance of the law.
The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG), in a special report in
2010, said that people carrying plastic bags thinner than 40mm and
less than 12 X 18 inches would be liable to be challaned. The
department declared a challan of Rs 500 on anyone who is caught with
a plastic bag of the mentioned dimensions.
The shopkeepers dispensing plastic bags were to be fined Rs 2,500 to
Rs 5,000.
Various agencies and non-government organizations (NGO) are trying
to make people aware of the harmful effects of plastic bags and
encourage them to use bags made of paper, cloth or jute. Vivek
Kamboj, founder of an NGO, Haryali, has been distributing jute bags
for free to various residents' welfare associations and social
activists in Gurgaon.
"The beautiful jute bags are being distributed to people to educate
people on the environmental hazards of plastic bags. We are not
promoting paper bags because they can be used only once and they are
made at the cost of trees. So jute is a good option. These bags also
have a layer of plastic, but the layer is very thin. They are
reusable and could last for about a year, depending on the usage,"
said Kamboj.
Many NGOs have come up with the concept of environment-friendly bags
which are priced at Rs 25 each and are expecting help from the RWAs,
so that people develop the habit easily. These bags are in Tafetta
fabric and one can carry up to 5kg to 6 kg of things in them easily.
Even washing them is easy. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had
said that the threat of plastic bags was bigger than that of the
atom bomb for the next generation.
Issuing notice in a PIL to the Centre and state governments, a bench
comprising Justice G S Singhvi and Justice S J Mukhopadhyay said
that unless a complete ban was imposed on plastic bags, the
situation would get out of hand.
Not only NGOs but also the corporate sector is in the forefront of
the fight for the cause. A certain retail chain, for instance, has
been focusing on environmentally sustainable initiatives with goals
of eliminating waste being powered by renewable energy and selling
sustainable products to help people save money and lead a better
life.
To maintain environment sustainability, a supermarket chain gives
its customers the option of carrying their purchases in eco-friendly
cloth bags made from recycled fabric.
It was cultivated on 70,592-acre less land than that of the previous
year
NILPHAMARI, JUNE 29: Due to low price and the high cost of
production the cultivation of jute has remarkably decreased in
Rangpur Agricultural zone this year. Sources said, jute were
cultivated on 2,94,394 acres of lands in 2011 and on 2,23,801 acres
of lands in 2012 in eight districts of Rangpur Agricultural region.
So, jute was cultivated 70,592 acres lesser areas of lands in
comparison with the previous year.
A source in the Agriculture Department said, as the farming of some
crops including maize has increased due to lack of fair price of
jute. Jute cultivation has been decreasing in this agricultural
zone. The sources added that this year a total of 2,23,801 acres of
lands were brought under jute cultivation in the eight districts of
Rangpur division. Out of this, ‘native jute’ was cultivated on
28,360 acres of lands and ‘Tosa’ variety was cultivated on 1,95,441
acres of lands.
The district-wise break-up of jute farming is as follows: this year
jute was cultivated on 38,047 acres of lands in Rangpur, on 27,107
acres of lands in Gaibandha, on 42,103 acres of lands in Kurigram,
on 20,678 acres of lands in Lalmonirhat, on 29,170 acres of lands in
Nilphamari, on 19,170 acres of lands in Dinajpur, on 29,412 acres of
lands in Thakurgoan and on 18,161 acres of lands in Panchagarh.
The district-wise break-up of jute farming in last year is as
follows : Jute was cultivated on 42,666 acres of lands in Rangpur,
on 35,283 acres of lands in Gaibandha, on 57,931 acres of lands in
Kurigram, on 17,245 acres of lands in Lalmonirhat, on 32,888 acres
of lands in Nilphamari, on 29,686 acres of lands in Dinajpur, on
40,199 acres of lands in Thakurgoan and on 38,492 acres of lands in
Panchagarh.
Out of this, the local variety was cultivated on 29,179 acres of
lands and Tosa variety on the remaining 2,55,215 acres of lands. The
farmers of this zone said that last year as the jute growers did not
get the fair price of their produced jute, they have lost their
eagerness in jute farming for which the jute cultivation has
significantly decreased this year.
On the other hand, the AED sources said, the cultivation of jute is
decreasing not only due to low price, but for various other reasons
such as increase in cultivation of ‘Rabi’ crops including the maize.
Some farmers said that they have lost their interest in jute farming
due to low price, lack of timely rainfall for netting the jute and
the required number of the labourers for separating the fibre from
the jute sticks.
They said if they do not get the fair price of jute they would
totally stop the cultivation of jute in near future. Deputy
Assistant Agriculture Officer of Rangpur Agriculture office, Md
Fazlul Haque, said, they have been trying their best to encourage
the farmers to retain the jute farming in this zone but due to
abnormal low price they are gradually losing their interest in jute
cultivation.
Some conscious people including a good number of agriculture
officers expressed their anxiety for decreasing the jute farming in
this region. The government should provide the farmers with fair
price of their produced crops including the jute, they added.
CCI serves notice to seven jute mills in West Bengal
Kolkata Jun 29, 2012: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has
sent notices to seven jute mills in West Bengal for alleged
violation of competition rules. The alleged violation of the Section
3(3) (a) and Section 3(1) of the Competition Act, 2002 pertain to
manipulation and rigging of prices by jute mills, creating an
imbalance in the packaging market.The jute mills will have to answer
the notices before June 30, failing which CCI will take penal action
against them. Non-compliance in terms of furnishing of false
statements and deliberate omission will also draw stringent action
as per provisions of the Competition Act.
There are 54 operating mills in West Bengal involving livelihood of
around 250,000 industrial workers and four million farmers. The jute
industry has an annual installed capacity of producing 2.4 million
tonnes (mt) of jute goods, but currently produces only 1.6 mt
because of lack of demand. CCI recently fined 12 cement companies
for violating the Act and had kept the jute industry and state-run
Coal India Ltd, the world's largest coal producer, under its
scanner. On June 25, it sent the notices on charges raised by the
Indian Sugar Mills Association, the National Federation of
Co-operative Sugar Factories and the All India Flat Tape
Manufacturers Association against the Indian Jute Mills Association
(IJMA) and the Gunny Trades Association (GTA).
CCI has asked the mills for a compulsory furnishing of details on
eight specific queries relating to price, actual transactions,
quotations, bulletin displays, sale price and production and
material cost, prices of twills (100/50 kg bags) and audited profit
and loss accounts of the last three years. These bags are used for
packing sugar to the tune of around 200,000 tonnes annually and
valued at around Rs 1,500 crore. As per estimates, sugar packaging
defaults are in the region of 64 per cent by the 450-odd sugar
mills. The government is yet to implement Section 9 of the Jute
Packaging Mandatory Act (JPMA), 1987, against sugar mills violating
the provision. Under the Section, the violation is a cognizable
offence and the police will investigate the matter under the Code
for Criminal Procedure. The lobby alleged IJMA and GTA were working
closely to cartelise the packaging material market by misusing their
dominant position. They have accused the jute organisations for
alleged rigging and manipulation of prices in the packaging market.
Further alleged is that IJMA and GTA are imposing unfair and
excessive prices on jute bags, thereby, limiting the technical
development of the market. IJMA has sought protection against the
allegation under Article 141 of the Indian Constitution and Section
62 of the Act and is fighting the charge. By an order issued on
April 25, 1996, the Supreme Court held the Jute Packaging Mandatory
Act, 1987 valid. As by Article 141, any distinction made on this
behalf breaches the law of the land. By Section 62 of the Act, the
Commission is also bound to perform within the confines of law and
not in derogation to the JPM, Act, 1987. Source: Business Standard
Natural Fibre Mission to be launched in West Bengal
KOLKATA: The Bengal government is going big with the project of a
"Natural Fibre Mission", which is expected to help uplift conditions
of the poorest artisans in the most backward regions of the state.
The "Natural Fibre Mission" is a rural livelihood generation
programme that will help leverage both natural fibre that are common
throughout the state, as well as help encourage traditional skill.
The approach of the programme is through cluster development.
According to state cottage and small scale industries minister Manas
Bhuniya, there have been programmes like the jute mission, coir
mission or bamboo mission, but this is possibly for the first time
that a state has conceptualized a mission that will help promote thr
natural fibre. The Mission aims at production of different value
added products from available natural fibre in 11 backward districts
of West Bengal. These districts are Jalpaiguri, Uttar Pradesh, Malda,
Murshidabad, Birbhum, Purulia, Bankura, West Midnapore, East
Midnapore and South 24 Parganas.
The Centre has already approved the Natural Fibre Mission under the
Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), for which Rs 247 crore has been
approved. The cottage and small scale department has already
received Rs 89 crore, which the Centre has sent as part of this
project and another one under which rural haats will come up in
different parts of Bengal. The natural fibres that will be used
under the project are jute, bamboo, coir, mat, sabai grass, cotton
and silk. The programme will involve not only developing skill of
artisans, but also supply of tools and equipment. That apart, there
will also be creating common production centre and common facility
centre.
Also, a common natural fibre centre is proposed to come up at
Kharagpur. Now that the funds have come and detailed study on all 11
districts is complete, work will begin soon, said Bhuniya.
KHULNA, BANGLADESH: Jute and jute goods worth about Tk. 10 million
was damaged following a heavy downpour and tidal surge for last two
days in Platinum and Khalishpur Jute Mills under BJMC.
The production was suspended in Platinum Jute Mills for 11 hours,
Khalishpur Jute Mills for 5 hours due to waterlogging and production
of Crescent Jute Mill was suspended for 3 hours during the period of
24 hours from 006 hours of Monday, concerned source said.
The project head of the Platinum Jute Mill Jahangir Hossain said
that the production of Unit No- 1 and 2 of the mill was closed due
waterlogging inside the mill which damaged produced jute goods worth
about Tk. 1.5 crore. Besides, rain water also entered into the raw
jute warehouse. The production resumed on Tuesday noon after
removing water round the night. An investigation committee has been
formed to assess the damages.
He informed that the situation has been created due to only one
drain active for draining out water of the area. He also requested
the Khulna City Corporation to take necessary measures about
alternative drainage systems.
On the other hand the rain water also entered into the Khalishpur
Jute Mills Unite No-1, 2, 3 and damaged jute goods worth about 50
lakh. As a result the production was closed till 10 pm from 5 pm on
Monday. The project head of the mill Molla Alamgir said that rain
water and river water entered into the Unit No-2.
The project head of the Crescent Jute Mill said that the rain water
did not enter into the mill area but the production was suspended on
Monday from 5pm to 8pm due to load shedding.
Mohammed Tajul Islam concluding his three-part article on the
financing of small and medium enterprises Credit Rating Agency of
Bangladesh (CRAB) assigns entity and issuer ratings as well as bank
loan rating in the long-term and short-term rating scale to the
bank's counterparty under Basel II framework. Basel II is the
Risk-based Capital Adequacy Framework introduced in the country by
the Bangladesh Bank (BB) in 2010. In case there is no legal entity
CRAB does not provide any entity/issuer rating rather CRAB rates
them on the scale of long term and short term bank loan rating scale
depending on the type of loan. CRAB's rating universe as on December
31, 2011 shows that 42 per cent of their corporate clients only get
loan rating; due to proprietorship nature of ownership and legal
separation of entity from owner could not be possible. Besides, if
we segregate the rating universe based on the bank loan limit, we
find that around 20 per cent of loan limit belongs to Tk 50.0
million and below category, around 36.3 per cent of loan limit
belongs to Tk 100.0 million and below category and if we consider
limit category up to Tk 250.0 million then it captures around 60 per
cent and below category. If segregated, the rating universe based on
rating category, 42.3 per cent of the corporate rating universe
falls BB (Double B) and below category.
Based on the above facts, we found that a large number of corporate
rating segment falls under SME (small and medium enterprises)
characteristics. As already highlighted, SMEs have several unique
characteristics that warrant a customised credit assessment
framework and methodology as well as separate rating scale and
symbol. Unlike the corporate, the SME sector has no organised
information on industries, market shares, competition dynamics, and
promoter or management track record.
The credit worthiness of SME unit, therefore, needs to be assessed
using tools and methods that are different from those traditionally
used for corporates.
Taking this one step forward, it would be optimal to also have a
customised rating definition and scale applicable to SMEs. For
example, currently all the rating agencies in Bangladesh use rating
symbols from AAA to D on a scale of 22 to 26 for corporate and/or
bank loan ratings. It is proposed that there should be a separate
Rating Symbol and Scale (SME1 to SME8) in order to ensure that there
is no confusion among the users of the rating, in that they would
know exactly what the rating conveys. In addition, as such, ratings
would involve SMEs as a peer group; these would have a better spread
across the sector, and provide an effective means of comparing the
profiles of different units.
The objective of SME Assessment and Corporate Rating are not
identical. SME Rating would not only provide credit information and
fill the information gap, but also educate the SME sector
entrepreneurs/ managers to enhance its entrepreneurship and
managerial skills. In the medium to long term it will ease SME
units' access to finance as well as benefit to its business and the
economy. Moreover, the credit assessment of SME is also relevant to
banks from the perspective of their migration towards Internal
Rating Based (IRB) approach.
Rio+20 agreement - a modest step in the right direction
At last week’s Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, delegates did not
agree to any ambitious treaties or deadlines for dealing with
pressing issues such as climate change, food and water scarcity.
However, there were many positive signs for the future global
environment.
On Friday 22 June, heads of state and government signed an agreement
on sustainable development called ‘The Future We Want’. This was not
as ambitious as the EU had been pressing for and did not include
detailed Sustainable Development Goals with fixed deadlines or
numbers. Nonetheless, the European Union (EU) managed to get some
goals into the final text. It is hoped that these preliminary
targets will form the basis for further negotiation within the UN.
On the proposal to make the United Nations Environment Programme a
full UN organisation (in line with the World Health Organisation and
others) it was instead agreed to strengthen UNEP. This includes
universal membership of UNEP – meaning that all countries are now
UNEP members.
Another notable step in the right direction was the adoption of the
global 10-year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption
and Production. The UN failed to reach agreement in this area in
2011.
The agreement also noted the importance of ‘green economy’, an
important objective for EU negotiators during the Rio+20 summit:
Jacqueline McGlade, EEA Executive Director said: “For the first
time, governments recognised the importance of green economy as well
as the need for knowledge and information. This is good news, but it
is only the start – we need to turn this recognition into real
environmental improvements.”
West Bengal, Assam, Bihar expect huge jute production boost on
rising demand
Kolkata: The centre’s demand and purchase assurance to West Bengal
jute units is expected to boost production in the state. Assam, the
other leading jute growing state, is already expecting to register
record jute production this year, despite floods affecting about
10,000 hectares of cropland. Assam, according its agriculture
minister, expects to produce about 300,000 bales of jute this year,
compared to 200,000 bales last year,”
Nilanjan Dey, director, Wishlist Capital, told FC Invest. Jute
production in the state is likely to go up compared with last year
as per hectare yield has increased greatly this year. As part of its
various supportive measures to resolve the problems confronting jute
growers/cultivators, the centre launched the jute technology mission
(JTM) during the 11th Plan with a total outlay of Rs 355.5 crore.
Under the JTM, several schemes are operational under the Mini
Mission I, II, III & IV, which benefit jute growers. Mini Mission-I
aims to strengthen agriculture research and development in jute to
improve yield and quality.
Mini Mission-II is targeted towards transferring improved technology
and agronomic practices in production and post harvesting phase.
Under Mini-Mission-III, market linkage of raw jute is provided in
all jute growing states. Mini Mission-IV provides for the
modernisation of the jute industry, upgradation of skills and market
promotion. National Jute Board and Jute Corporation of India are
also working on projects with National Institute of Research on Jute
& Allied FibreTechnology (NIRJAFT) and Central Research Institute
for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF) to develop better jute seeds and
to improve agronomical practices for jute cultivation. Source:
Financial Chronicle
RANGPUR, BANGLADESH: Experts at a training course have stressed for
adoption of the latest agri- technologies, including ribbon retting
method, for boosting jute production and upgrading quality and grade
of the fibre, reports BSS.
The High Yielding Jute and Jute Seed Production and Improved Jute
Retting Project of the Ministry of Jute and Textiles organised the
training for the farmers at Polashbari upazila parishad auditorium
in Gaibandha district on Saturday.
Chaired by Upazila Jute Development Officer Mazedul Islam,
Polashbari upazila chairman AKM Moksed Chowdhury Bidyut attended
inaugural session of the training course as the chief guest.
Assistant Director (Purchase) of the Directorate of Jute Aminul
Islam and Scientific Officer of Jute Research Regional Station,
Rangpur of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute Shahjahan Khan
attended as the resource persons.
Upazila Senior Agriculture Officer Shawkat Osman and Upazila
Agriculture Extension Officer Mofidul Islam conducted the training
course participated by 100 jute growers from all over Polashbari
upazila.
The experts discussed importance of achieving self-reliance on
producing quality jute seeds of high yielding varieties to meet
local seed demand for increasing production of quality fibre
utilising the latest technologies.
They narrated the latest and low-cost ribbon retting method for the
harvested jute plants during droughts or water scarcity in only nine
days to improve the quality and grade of jute-kenaf or mesta-fibre
to ensure higher prices.
They called for diversification and multidimensional use of jute
products as its demand increases fast following adverse effects of
synthetic fibre on the environment and ecology in recent decades
throughout the globe.
The fibre is also being used as construction materials for
earthquake surviving buildings, embankments, geo-textiles, bodies of
cars etc for expanding more prospects for increased jute cultivation
in the country, they said.
Neha Dhupia says she was started on the organic way of life by
Katrina Kaif and she has continued to follow it
religiously.
Neha Dhupia has gone organic. The actress was introduced
to an environmental friendly way of life by Katrina Kaif. Neha
recalls, "We were shooting for De Dhana Dhan, when Katrina
introduced me to eating only organic products. Ever since then, I've
been following it religiously. There are so many benefits of
adapting this lifestyle."
Grown without pesticides:
She adds that it has now become a way of life, "I am very clear
about what I put in my body now. Organic food is grown in farms
without pesticides and in a manner that ensures all of the earth's
rich nutrients and minerals are preserved. There are stores and
markets all over that provide organic rice, veggies, flour,
everything that we need for our meals. Most of the time, vegetables
are stripped off their rich properties."
No plastic rule:
Apart from eating right, Neha also has a few rules against using
plastic in her house. "I don't understand how people use plastic so
blatantly. It's non-recyclable and the fumes are toxic. I use jute
bags to pick up my groceries and avoid keeping plastic bags or
bottles in my car or house. My yoga pyjamas and mat are made of
jute. I love the fabric and we have small industries all over the
country manufacturing jute."
Going organic also means not drinking tetrapak juices or eating out
of bags. "I don't keep processed chips or juices in my house. A lot
of the so-called healthy juices are actually overloaded with
sugar.."
Dhupia confesses that being environmental friendly and conserving
the ecosystem is a cause close to her heart. "I am extremely
passionate about it. I hate it when people waste water, or keep
electricity running when not needed. We need to be more aware and
careful about how we use these amenities."
Sacking grade jute yarn export to China marks extensive rise
The shipment of Bangladeshi sacking grade jute yarn to China has
increased extensively in recent years due to rising demand and wage
hike of labourers in the country, said the industry insiders.
China is a major raw jute importer of Bangladesh, but now-a-days she
has started importing a significant volume of sacking grade or low
grade jute yarn for meeting up its local demand, said the spinners.
Laxman Jute Mills in Kushtia started operation in November, 2010 and
exports almost total quantity of its production to China. Shamsur
Rahman, Deputy General Manager of the jute mill said around 2,070
tonnes of sacking grade jute yarn are being produced annually in his
mills and presently full volume of the items are exported to the
country.
"The production of sacking materials is around 50 per cent of total
production capacity of the spinning mill," said the DGM adding that
the volume will increase in near future considering its huge demand.
The country of more than 1.3 billion people mainly imports the yarn
to make jute bags and sacks for packaging crops and fruits like
wheat and apples, said the exporters.
According to Bangladesh Jute Spinners' Association (BJSA), the
export volume of lower grade yarn was 2,300 tonnes in 2008-09 fiscal
year, 10,200 tonnes in 2009-10 and 37,00 tonnes in 2010-11 fiscal
year. But a report of China TexNet, said last year China imported
nearly 51,000 tonnes of jute yarn from Bangladesh, up 281.69 per
cent year-on-year. The Report said a 15-member delegation of China
Bast and Leaf Fibres Textile Association (CBLFTA), which is
currently on a three-day official visit to Bangladesh, hoped the
Chinese import of jute yarns from Bangladesh would double in 2012
compared to 2011.
During a meeting with representatives of the BJSA, the delegation
opined that "Bangladeshi raw jute and jute yarns are of good quality
and are relatively low priced".
Bangladesh Jute Spinners' Association (BJSA) Chairman Muhammad
Shams-uz Zoha said the Asian county could import raw jute from
Bangladesh. But since last two years they are importing jute yarn
due to labour crisis. The workers of raw jute processing units face
hassle as it is very complicated and the environment of those
factories is also dirty. So, now-a-days people of the developed
countries are not interested to be employed in such low-standard
jobs, he added.
Besides, entrepreneurs can use jute yarn directly to make jute
goods, said BJSA chairman
Bangladesh usually exports 350,000 to 380,000 tonnes of jute yarn a
year and the products account for over 60 per cent of total export
earnings from the sector. Middle East, North African countries and
Turkey import 66 per cent of Bangladesh's yarn to use it as a raw
material for making carpet. Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan and
Egypt also buy jute yarn and jute goods from Bangladesh.
A three-dimensional approach to development is now needed – one that
combines social, economic and environmental concerns.
Rio+20 is a landmark for the future. As more than 190
countries gather in Rio, we are witnessing a historic moment. The
recent global crisis has shown that old-fashioned views about
development are misleading. It is now time to rethink the very
foundations of how we consider development, wellbeing and wealth.
Over the past four decades, the world has increasingly realised that
our natural resources are under serious pressure. A growing
awareness of the need to ensure sustainability has led a whole new
generation to consider the requirements of sustainable development
in its decisions to produce or consume. This is no small
achievement. Rio 92 was a major step forward. Important legal texts
on key issues were adopted. These conventions ensured important
progress that we must maintain and build on.
We now face a complex challenge. Protecting the environment is not
enough. We need to encourage public and private decision-makers to
incorporate environmental and social concerns into economic planning
and growth strategies. This will require a new thinking from
policymakers, experts, business people, project managers and many
other public and private actors in order to plan and implement
sustainable development initiatives.
From now on, a three-dimensional approach to development is crucial,
one that combines social, economic and environmental concerns.
Rio+20 is endeavouring to become the launch pad for this new
development model. This is why one of the main topics of Rio+20 is
building consensus around the need for "sustainable development
goals". They will offer a blueprint for international co-operation
on sustainable development for years to come. Future strategies, be
it for governments, entrepreneurs or civil society, must offer a
balanced and integrated approach encompassing the three pillars of
sustainable development.
In order to achieve this result, Brazil decided to adopt new
methods. Innovative tools for multilateral meetings were introduced,
bringing national governments and global civil society together. The
Dialogues for Sustainable Development, a Brazilian
initiative enthusiastically embraced by the UN, opened
straightforward means of communication between interested groups and
civil society on key aspects of decision-making. Through an online
platform, more than 1 million votes were cast, expressing views on
10 issues related to the conference. Topics ranged from energy and
water to sustainable cities and food security. During four days in
Rio, sharing the venue of the summit, experts, businessmen,
activists and journalists engaged in live debates and streamlined
the proposals that will be handed to the heads of state and
government. The "Rio dialogues" were so successful that the UN is
now considering turning this initiative into a standard practice for
future summits.
Another key objective of Rio+20 is the strengthening of the UN
framework for sustainable development, with a view to greater
efficiency and consistency across issues. Rio+20 has launched an
important debate on green economy in the context of sustainable
development and poverty eradication, based on the understanding that
there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Rio+20 involves an assessment of the past 20 years and a look into
the next few decades. We are confident that this message will echo
through the years, fostering new initiatives which can lead to a
more sustainable future for all.
The country’s jute cultivation acreage reduced by 2.24 per cent in
the current year because of falling demand of the fibre and a slump
in export of jute and jute products. Officials of the Department of
Agricultural Extension told New Age that acreage for jute
cultivation reduced to 7.43 lakh hectares this year from 7.60 lakh
hectares last year. They said the farmers were reluctant to
cultivate jute this year because of a fall in demand, which led to a
price slump.
‘The farmers who cultivated jute last year did not get the fair
price for their produce. Farmers cultivated jute heavily on a large
scale last year after a bumper 2010-11 season when the country’s
jute export boomed,’ said a DAE official. But according to
Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau the country’s jute export
decreased by 13.69 per cent in the first 11 months of the year
compared with the same period of the last year. They said that 26.03
per cent of the strategic export target for July-May period of the
current year has remained unfulfilled, while the performance of last
year for the same period marked 3.09 per cent higher than the
strategic target.
EPB data showed that jute and jute products export earned $889.45
million against the target of $1,202.51 million in July-May period
of the current year, while it was $1,030.57 million against the
target of $999.72 million for the same period of the last year.
Raw jute, jute yarn and twine and sacks and bags export fell by
41.48, 17.05 and 21.78 per cent respectively from the target set for
the first 11 months of the current year, according to EPB.
As a result of export reduction, the price of jute and jute products
decreased in domestic market that compelled many farmers to abandon
jute cultivation.
Farmers got Tk 400-1,500 for a maund of jute fibre in late 2011
against the price of Tk 1,500-Tk 2,500 in late 2010. Talukder Firoz
Ahmed, deputy director (jute production) of the DAE, said that if
the government gives financial incentives and facilities like other
corps, jute cultivation could be increased in the coming days. Along
with increasing export, fair price of jute has to be ensured for
cultivators to restore the golden days of the natural fibre, said
Mohammed Abul Kalam Azad, deputy director (marketing) of the DAE.
The exporters blamed political turmoil in Middle East and economic
crisis in European states which caused sluggish demand for the
natural fibre, the second biggest foreign currency earner after
apparel. Middle East, North African countries and Turkey import most
of Bangladesh’s jute yarn to use as raw material for making carpets.
But presently they have reduced jute yarn import because of their
financial crisis, exporters said.
Ready Position (in taka) Bangla white special (BW special) 14,000
Bangla white A (BWA) 13,700 Bangla white B (BWB) 12,800 Bangla white
C (BWC) 11,300 Bangla white D (BWD) 10,850 Bangla white E (BWE)
10,400 Bangla tossa special (BTS) 14,300 Bangla tossa A (BTA) 14,000
Bangla tossa B (BTB) 13,100 Bangla tossa C (BTC) 11,600 Bangla tossa
D (BTD) 11,150 Bangla tossa E (BTE) 10,700
CUTTINGS Bangla white cuttings A (BWCA) 6,800 Bangla white cuttings
B (BWCB) 6,600 Bangla tossa cuttings A (BTCA) 7,100 Bangla tossa
cuttings B (BTCB) 6,900
MESHTA Meshta special 14,000 Meshta A 13,700 Meshta B 12,800 Meshta
C 11,300 Special meshta cuttings 6,800 Ordinary meshta cuttings
6,600 Meshta- SMR 9,000
STATE OF THE MARKET--REMARKS Quality - good Condition - fair
Narayanganj imports - About 3,000 Qntl. Daulatpur imports - About
8,000 Qntl. Market trend - As usual
NOTE Raw jute exports during 2011-2012 (01.07.2011 to 29.02.2012) =
1.37 million bales Value 9.28 billion taka ($1 = 81.83 taka) Source:
Bangladesh Jute Association, Dhaka +880-2-9552916, Narayanganj
+880-2-7630904
Dhaka is moving ahead steadily to sign an accord on a bilateral Free
Trade Area (FTA) with Istanbul keeping provisions for movement of
natural persons, mutual recognition arrangement and flexibility for
least developed party, a trade diplomat said.
A number of 10 prospective areas under the goods and service sectors
are included in the template (pre-draft agreement), prepared by the
Ministry of Commerce (MoC), for joint cooperation between Bangladesh
and Malaysia.
Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) under the MoC has recently
prepared the "template" incorporating the provision of 'movement of
natural persons' under the Mode-Four (IV) of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) in the FTA. It also sought special and
differential treatment for the products of Bangladesh to the Turkish
market under the proposed deal.
"We are positive about negotiations across the table with the
Turkish government for a bilateral FTA, provided our areas of
interest like movement of natural persons, proposed areas of
cooperation and flexibility of commitment in both investment and
duty elimination by Bangladesh, being a least developed party, are
endorsed by the later," a top trade official told the FE on Sunday.
The move by the MoC has been taken being asked by the Prime
Minister's Office (PMO). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a visit
to Turkey in April last promised to ink a bilateral FTA with Turkey
to boost trade and investment between the two countries.
Trade officials said the template would soon be sent to Turkish
government as opinions from different ministries on the template
have endorsed the commerce ministry's move.
The 10 areas included in the templates for cooperation are-jute,
construction, electronic commerce, collaboration in SME development,
tourism, energy, fisheries, infrastructure development in the sea
ports and waste disposal.
The trade officials said Turkey has huge demand for jute and jute
goods, RMG and frozen food originating from Bangladesh.
"Under a possible FTA between Dhaka and Istanbul, the safeguard duty
will be withdrawn by the Turkish government," a trade official told
the FE.
NARSINGDI: Banned polythene shopping bags have flooded in different
markets of the district and it is posing a serious threat to the
environment.
A section of manufacturers in connivance with some dishonest law
enforcers are supplying environment hazardous polythene bags to the
shopkeepers at a cheaper price.
BSS correspondent recently visited different kitchen and fish
markets of the district and upazila headquarters found polythene
bags are selling randomly.
The shopkeepers as well as consumers were found using polythene bags
openly in the market especially in the vegetables, fish and grocery
markets.
A number of consumers told that they prefer polythene bags as it is
cheaper than others. A polythene shopping bag costs at Taka 1- 2,
whereas a jute or cloth bag is being sold at Taka 6- 10.
Vegetables, fish and grocery traders said that they find it
difficult to sell kitchen items without polythene bags as most of
the customers come to the market without shopping bags and they
demand for polythene bags.
Although the use of polythene bags is a punishable offence, the
concerned authorities are yet to take any measures to stop its sale
and use in the district.
Students took out a rally here on Monday to create awareness among
people on the negative impacts of using plastic and polythene
containers.
Students carried placards and raised slogans urging the people to
use eco-friendly containers such as jute bags. The extensive use of
plastic and polythene containers would harm the environment, they
pointed out.
Flagged off by Mayor Mallika Paramasivam at EVN road, the rally
passed through important thoroughfares before culminating at the
Kalaimagal school. Deputy Mayor K.C. Palanisamy, Corporation
Commissioner M. Vijayalakshmi, and senior officials were present.
The Erode Corporation organised the rally as the problem posed by
plastic and polythene bags assumed serious proportions. The civic
body had already banned the manufacture and use of polythene carry
bags less than 40-micron thickness, within the town limits.
The ban came into effect from May 10.
Manufactures of the banned carry bags will be slapped a fine of Rs.
5,000. If merchants or commercial establishments were found using
the bags, a fine of Rs. 3,000 will be collected, while the general
public will be fined Rs. 100, if they found using the bags.
Stop picnics, start eco-tourism in Sundarbans: Bengal forest dept
Taking a leaf out of the mandatory in-flight instructions that
stewards and stewardesses deliver prior to each flight, informing
passengers how to fasten the seat belt and what to do in an
exigency, the state forest department wants all tourist agencies in
the Sunderbans, including boat owners, to spell out the dos and
don'ts to tourists before they embark on the tour.
The proposal is part of the first serious initiative to transform
the tourist scene in the Sunderbans that is currently nothing more
than picnic tourism. A majority of the 3 lakh visitors who go to the
Sunderbans do so to have fun without bothering about the ecology.
During the day, they feast on board, litter the creeks and rivers
with thermocol plates and plastic bottles and dancing to loud music
at night while the boat is anchored mid-river.
""We want to end irresponsible tourism and promote eco-tourism in
the Sunderbans. To do so, we need the cooperation of all
stakeholders. This is a clarion call for all-NGOs; tour operators;
boat and lodge owners-to partner with the forest department and
create awareness on the need to preserve the region's ecology while
conducting tourism activities,"" Sunderban Biosphere Reserve
director Pradeep Vyas told a stakeholders' meeting in the city on
Monday.
Though the draft of what guides and helpers on boats will tell
tourists before the trip is yet to be worked out, it will broadly be
along these lines: ""Dear guests, welcome on board. Fasten your
seatbelts for a trip to the Sunderbans, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. During this journey through the Sunderbans' rich biodiversity
that is home to the world's largest tiger reserve, one must not
disturb the fragile ecosystem.
Plastic carry bags are strictly prohibited. Those who have plastic
bags must deposit them and take jute bags in return. Do not throw
plastic bottles, thermocol plates or any litter into the water. And
please maintain silence, speaking only in whispers so that everyone
can enjoy the sounds of the forest. Playing loud music is strictly
prohibited. Here's wishing you a very pleasant experience.
Suggesting a three-pronged effort to curb pollution in the
Sunderbans, Vyas said the forest department would form strategic
partnerships for education and awareness of tourists and then
undertake enforcement of existing laws to wipe out the menace.
The Centre has chalked out a multi-pronged strategy to boost the
jute sector in the Northeast.
A source said the working group on jute constituted by th e Planning
Commission had chalked out a separate policy for the Northeast, in
which it had included identification of prominent jute growing areas
in the region, establishment of jute parks integrated with jute
growing areas, setting up of commercially viable
jute-ramie/jute-silk blending units and setting up of diversified
jute products training centres.
In 2010-11, the jute industry in the country produced goods worth Rs
7,500 crore and had export earnings of nearly Rs 1,350 crore.
“It is a good initiative as there is a big scope for jute,
especially in Assam, but there are problems,” the source said.
The report said Assam was the main producer of ramie fibre in the
country and additionally, the state produced substantial amounts of
jute along with plenty of bamboo. The two other ramie-producing
states in the region are Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
“In this context, one on-going Jute Technology Mission (JTM) project
on ramie fibre processing and diversified products at Indian Jute
Industries’ Research Association (IJIRA) is aimed at upgrade of
economic status of farmers and decentralised sectors in the region.
Research and development activities on composites from jute and
bamboo strips (woven or braided) are currently in progress at IJIRA,
Calcutta, under a JTM project. To this end, a mini-pilot plant
consisting of related machinery for processing jute and ramie may be
installed at a suitable location in the region,” the report said.
The working group has also recommended the setting up of at least
two vocational training centres for diversified jute products in the
region.
Though Assam is the second highest producer of jute in the country
after Bengal, more than half of Assam’s jute sector is in the hands
of middlemen. Assam’s production is 7 lakh bales (One bale is
180kg).
On modernisation and upgrade of technology in jute mills, the upper
limit of the subsidy has been raised to Rs 350 lakh per mill for the
existing units and Rs 400 lakh per mill in states of the Northeast
and for setting up new units.
On knowledge management, the panel has given importance to the
Northeast and has called for development of a location-based
knowledge advisory system which is a broadcast network for
selectively transmitting individualised knowledge output signals to
remote communication devices.
It has also suggested setting up of interactive software-based
systems intended to help decision-makers to compile useful
information from combination of raw data, documents, personal
knowledge, or business models to identify and solve problems and
make decisions.
The Trade Dimension in the Follow-up to the Rio plus 20 Summit
The UNCTAD XIII Panel will serve as an occasion to disseminate
analysis, share reflections and develop recommendations to frame
discussions on the green economy in the context of sustainable
development and poverty alleviation due to take place at the Rio+20
Conference in June 2012.
The Panel will analyse developing country prospects and conditions
under which developing economies could move towards a greener and
more equitable development paths and unlock sustainable business
opportunities. The Panel will introduce UNCTAD´s methodologies to
identify sectors and products where developing countries could find
trade opportunities and build on sustainability as a competitive
advantage.
Additionally, it will share experience on how developed and
developing countries have taken advantage of emerging trade
opportunities and address main challenges under the UNCTAD BioTrade
Programme.
Bangladesh has earned nearly Tk 857.27
crore in the current fiscal till April this year by exporting
1,03,191 tonnes jute goods to over 90 countries across the globe,
reports BSS.
Textiles and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddique informed this in the
Jatiya Sangsad on Monday while replying to a tabled question raised
by treasury bench member Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury.
The minister told the house that Bangladesh had been exporting jute
goods to over 80 to 90 countries across the world mainly in India,
middle east, Europe, Africa, Canada, the USA, Iran, Thailand and
Vietnam.
Replying to another question from treasury bench member Nasimul Alam
Chowdhury, Latif Siddique said the present government, under the
changing scenario and increased demand of jute goods globally, has
formulated the National Jute Policy-2011.
Responding to a written question of Md. Kabirul Haque, the minister
informed the House that the government has formulated a five year
long plan to raise production of jute and bring back its past glory.
BJMA urged government to bring down the tax on export products
Leaders of the Bangladesh Jute Mills
Association (BJMA) have urged the government to bring down the
source at tax on export products to 0.60 per cent from 1.20 per
cent, as proposed in the budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2012-13,
considering the interest of the export-oriented industries. They
said the proposed hike of source at tax on export products from 0.60
per cent and 0.70 per cent to 1.20 per cent would cast a dark cloud
on the horizon of export. However, they hailed Finance Minister A M
A Muhith for proposal of continuing subsidy on export-oriented
industries in the budget, and said the facilities being provided by
the government should be similar for both public and private sector
jute-mills. The association observed that the inequalities in the
proposed budget should be amended through discussion to keep the
country's development process moving.
Jute spinners criticise proposed hike in tax at source for all types
of export
Country's jute spinners expressed
their worry over the proposed hike in tax at source for
export-oriented industries in the budget proposal for financial year
(FY) 2012-2013, saying that it will adversely affect the struggling
jute sector.
Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA) hailed the initiative in
the proposed budget to increase investment in private sector, but
criticised the 1.2 per cent proposed tax at source from existing
0.60 per cent.
BJSA leaders said the proposal has come at a time when the country's
second foreign currency earning sector has been facing a tough time
for low shipment orders caused by political turmoil in the export
destination countries.
According to the budget proposal for the next fiscal (2012-2013),
which was placed by Finance Minister AMA Muhith on June 7 at
parliament, the government proposed 1.20 per cent tax at source on
all types of exports for the coming FY.
Jute spinners are now paying 0.60 per cent tax at source. Leaders of
BJSA also requested the government to pay serious attention to the
matter and reconsider the proposal to help the jute industry that
fetches US$ 1 billion annually.
BJSA chairman Muhammad Shams-uz Zoha said it is praiseworthy that
the budget put special emphasis to support growth, contain inflation
and reflect aspirations of the general people in the context of
domestic and external environment.
He also endorsed the decision to increase the size of the budget in
term of GDP, saying that it would help maintain a sound growth as
infrastructure development would be prioritised.
"But, this tax hike at source on export-oriented industries is
completely unfavorable to the industry already passing through a
hardship."
Zoha said the export of jute to the global market marked a fall due
to power outage in the industrial units and political turmoil in
importing countries.
He said the sector witnessed a negative growth of 13 per cent in the
outgoing financial year although it achieved more than a 50 per cent
growth in last fiscal.
Zoha, leader of 87 jute spinning mills, urged the government to
retain the existing tax at source for export to achieve the growth
target in the upcoming financial year.
Bangladesh Export earnings register 4.17pc negative growth in May
The country's overall export earnings
registered a negative growth of 4.17 per cent or about $ 100 million
last month (May) compared to the corresponding month of the previous
fiscal year, according to the latest data of Export Promotion Bureau
(EPB).
The drop in export earnings has been due mainly to the global
economic meltdown, particularly the economic downswing in euro zone,
exporters said.
Export earning in May this year was $ 2.20 billion, which was $ 2.26
billion in May 2011, shows the EPB figure.
Single month export earnings during the current fiscal year (FY
2011-12) have failed to keep the momentum as the earning grew by
28.70 per cent in July, by 32.40 per cent in August, by 2.29 per
cent in September, by 15.44 per cent in October, by 2.40 per cent in
November, by 3.85 per cent in December 2011 and by 11.94 per cent in
January and by 4.95 per cent in February 2012.
However, single month earnings started witnessing a negative growth
from March 2012 with the earning in that month registering the
negative growth of 7.23 per cent and that in April of 7.13 per cent
compared to those of a year ago.
According to the data, country's export receipts during the July-May
period of the current fiscal stood at $ 21.98 billion, reflecting a
7.0 per cent growth over the same period of the last fiscal.
Exports of other major foreign
currency earning products, especially jute and jute-made goods,
rubber and specialised textiles fell short of their respective
targets of this fiscal.
Jute and jute goods earning stood at $ 889.45 million, marking a
negative growth of 13.69 per cent and it also fell from the target
by 26.03 per cent.
BJA worried about tax rise at source on export income
Bangladesh raw jute exporters have
expressed their worry about the proposed raise in tax at source on
export earning in the budget for fiscal year 2012-2013, saying that
it will have a negative impact on the sector.
The leaders of Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA) said jute is a cent
per cent export-oriented product which is grown by the marginal
farmers. As a result of this fiscal measure the farmers and
exporters will incur loss.
They strongly demanded withdrawal of the tax measure on the raw jute
export and said if the proposed tax does was not waived, the farmers
would be discouraged to grow the golden fibre.
According to the new budget the government proposed to introduce
1.20 per cent tax at source on all types of export earning for the
coming fiscal year (FY) from 0.60 per cent and 0.70 per cent in the
current FY (2011-2012).
The Association leaders said raw jute contributes a lot to boosting
up the country's export basket.
A total of Tk 19.06 billion was earned from raw jute export in the
fiscal year 2010-2011 and Tk 13.44 billion had been earned during
the July-April period of the current financial year.
The Association leaders hailed the new budget, saying government
initiative to protect the local industry would make a positive
impact on the national economy.
Progressive People’s Party (PPP) will build a jute factory in Ghana
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP)
has assured Ghanaians that it will build a jute factory when
entrusted with the governance of this country.
The party’s flag bearer, Dr Papa Kwesi
Nduom, gave this assurance during the party’s tour of cocoa growing
communities in the Western Region.
The tour which was the PPP’s second
phase of its nationwide tour saw Dr Nduom and his team visiting
Aowin-Suaman, Sefwi-Akontombra and Suaman Dadieso -all cocoa growing
areas- in the Western Region.
Addressing residents in these
communities, Dr Nduom said it was sad that Ghana still continued to
import jute sacks from Bangladesh for the bagging of its cocoa
beans.
This, he intimated, was not doing any
good for the Ghanaian cocoa farmer and the economy as a whole.
The building of a jute factory, Dr
Nduom insisted, will not only contribute to the growth of the
economy, but more importantly, create ‘meaningful jobs’ for
Ghanaians.
In all these areas Dr Nduom and his
team were met with a rapturous welcome with virtually every activity
grinding to a halt, and hundreds of residents struggling to catch a
glimpse of the PPP team.
The party also shared its ten-point
agenda from which Dr Nduom told the town folk that a PPP
administration will ensure an incorruptible government; a clean
environment that will help eradicate preventable diseases like
cholera and malaria and create meaningful jobs.
Earlier, Dr Nduom and his entourage
paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Suaman Dadieso, Odeneho Brentum
IV, who posited that although chiefs are not permitted to meddle in
politics, he was of the firm view, from what he has seen and heard
that Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom would win this year’s election.
“Since Kwame Nkrumah’s time, we have
seen governments come and go, but the people of Dadieso are still
impoverished; nothing has been seen,” the chief lamented.
According to Odeneho Brentum, he has
seen so much promise in Dr Nduom which gives him hope.
He thus intimated that he would do
well to convince many others to support Dr Nduom.
Accompanying Dr Nduom are the National
Vice Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Baba Seidu; National Secretary, Kofi
Asamoah-Siaw, and; National Committee Member, Mrs Mary Ankomah
Boakye-Boateng.
The rest are the deputy Communication
Director, Samuel Ampah and other regional and constituency
executives.
Global warming causing Himalayan glacier to diminish each year
SHIMLA: Global warming is diminishing
the Chhota Shigri glacier in the Pir Panjal ranges of
Himachal Pradesh at 0.67 metres a year, report French and Indian
researchers.
The study, jointly supported by the
Department of Science and Technology, Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) and the Indo-French Centre for Promotion of
Advanced Research, concluded that the glacier mass was thinning much
more rapidly this century.
The researchers, including those from
New Delhi's
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and glaciologists from France,
told that the glacier was losing ice due to rising atmospheric
temperatures.
The decrease is measured in terms of
the ice flux, or the volume of ice passing a point per year. "Our
data suggests that the ice fluxes have diminished by 24 percent to
37 percent below 4,750 meters above sea level between 2003 and
2010," said Pottakkal George Jose from School of Environmental
Studies, JNU.
Team leader A. L. Ramanathan said the
thinning of Chhota Sigri glacier, located about 100 km from the hill
resort of Manali, had picked up speed this century.
"This rate of less than a meter of
mass loss per annum is an increase that occurred in this century,
over the lower level of ice mass reduction in the preceding decade,"
Ramanathan said.
The conclusion is supported in a study
published in the 2012
edition
of the journal of glaciology. "The glacier must have experienced a
period of near-zero or slightly positive mass balance in the 1990s,
before shifting to a strong imbalance in the 21st century," the
study stated.
Another study of Chhota Sigri during
1987-89 by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (Dehradun)
reported that glacial thinning has been more rapid in this century.
A comprehensive study of Himalayan
glaciers done with
satellite imagery by ISRO reported that over 75 percent of them
are on the retreat. It added that 17 percent of the glaciers were
stable, while the remaining eight percent had actually grown in
mass.
The ISRO study, released last year,
came at the back of a raging controversy over a 2007 report of the
UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which claimed
that Himalayan glaciers were likely to disappear by 2035 owing to
global warming.
The IPCC later acknowledged their
report to be erroneous. Located in the Chandrabhaga river basin in
Lahaul and Spiti district, the Chhota Shigri glacier is about nine
kilometres long.
