Beacon for jute
For a long time, the government is trying to revive the jute sector, but up until now jute has failed to make a comeback. There are many reasons for it. From the field, farmers complain they do not get high quality seeds from the government on time. This situation forces the farmers to produce low grade jute that is not attractive to buyers, nationally as well as internationally.
Moreover, as plastics goods have become cheap and popular, jute fails to compete with these products. In order to increase the use of jute locally, the government has made mandatory use of gunny bags for grains and the relevant products, but that also has not shown a very encouraging result. Jute fails to shine.
But according to a report of this newspaper yesterday, a good opportunity to promote jute has dawned. A Swedish company, Juteborg AB, is trying to make jute a high value material instead of its present low value status. In that direction the Gothenburg-based entity is trying to diversify jute through using the product in sectors including construction and automobile.
The two founders of Juteborg AB already visited Bangladesh more than once and met the relevant people including the foreign minister to make homework on the feasibility of the use of jute.
If jute is upgraded as a high value material, this will indeed economically benefit Bangladesh and encourage farmers to grow more jute. Therefore, Bangladesh has to seize this opportunity as the people of Juteborg are convinced that jute can be used in sectors like automobile, transport, construction, interior, textile, home and office. If that really happens, a huge demand of the golden fibre will be created and Bangladesh can very well take all the necessary initiative to supply jute to meet its demand.
For this, farmers in Bangladesh have to be motivated to grow jute. They have to be provided with crucial farm inputs including quality seeds. For proper retting of jute, it is the government that has to support the jute farmers. For all the popularity of plastics and similar materials, there are countries including India where jute cultivation is thriving.
History says that it is because of jute cultivation, the rather poorest segment of Bengalis of our part the world, the farmers, got educated steadily as it gave them the money necessary for spending in education. With necessary supports from the government, jute can now give them a better living standard with modern amenities.
