Explore new markets for jute products
The golden fibre of Bangladesh, jute, has seen a resurgence in the millennium after a decline in the 1990s. This is due to an increased awareness about eco-friendly jute made items which degrade easily and never harm the environment. However, after an impressive earning of $ 966.9 million in 2017-18, export earnings from jute fell to $ 773.57 million in 2018-19. The causes are several: US-China trade war and the fall of European currencies against the Dollar.
However, there is no reason to feel alarmed because the fall in income from jute has been due to conditions that are beyond our control. World economy is unpredictable and often dictated by political imperatives of leading nations; so, when top countries in the world are locked in an economic war, there will be some repercussions felt, Bangladesh included. But, instead of agonising over the falling income, the authority needs to take the global impediments not as barriers but as warnings that jute has to make entry in arenas like fashion, food packaging and the automobile industry. The main trend in the fashion world now is dominated by clothes which are made using natural items and this is where many of the big fashion brands are working.
If Bangladesh takes part in international fashion shows with jute made shirts, hats, shoes and blazers, a wider marketing area for jute will open. Jute has been used in the past in fashion though the target this time has to be haute couture and not just any retail brand. In the automotive industry, jute can be used instead of plastic to make car seats, covers, belts and other items. This can be popularised in the country too, creating a massive market within Bangladesh.
The African countries use jute sacks during their crop season which is now over, but there is no stopping jute made decoration pieces from making an entry into African nations. While the common areas need to be explored, the government has to authorise research to find if jute can be used to make any medicines or not. Jute leaves have enough anti-oxidants and can provide safe, side-effect free protection from heart ailments, cancer and other diseases. This can be marketed in and outside the country through an aggressive marketing campaign. What is needed first is a cohesive strategy and then, its swift implementation. In a world where the need to rely in natural products has become second to religion, the appeal of jute will always be there.
