BHUBANESWAR: Jute cultivation in the State has come down to just 10,000 hectares (ha) from over 40,000 ha in the last 10 years. Participating in the national-level annual meeting of All India Network Project on Jute & Allied Fibres (AINPJAF) here on Tuesday, researchers said climate changes and lack of facilities for post-harvest management and marketability of the crop are the primary reasons behind the declining crop pattern. Currently, it is the small and marginal farmers - particularly in coastal areas - who are taking up jute cultivation.

Finding the going uphill in their bid to sell their produce for good economic returns, raw jute farmers from different parts of South Kamrup area are facing acute crisis. Too poor to afford the input costs, the marginal farmers who practice the cultivation on a massive scale in thousands of bighas of land here at Jiakur 1 Bortari, Kandalpara Cimina, Futuri Goroimari Alikash under Palashbari and Chhaygaon LAC have attributed the market crisis to the traders as well the intermediaries who exploit their helplessness to increase their profit margin.

In order to make Vasco

Jayajit Dash / Bhubaneswar October 07, 2010, 0:04 IST

The woes of the ailing jute industry do not seem to be over even after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) turned down the proposal for a 25 per cent dilution in jute packaging norms last month.

The Union textiles ministry is yet to approve two alternate jute bags even though these bags were developed by the Indian Jute Indus

Dhubri, Oct. 5: Bamboo farming and industry is set to bring sea change in the economy of lower Assam districts, known for jute production.

Speaking at a workshop, organised under the National Bamboo Mission at Pramothesh Chandra Barua auditorium in Dhubri today, the conservator of forests, lower Assam social forestry circle, S.K.

Farmers should grow jute at least once in three years to enhance the fertility of the soil, Agriculture Department Joint Director, C Chikkanna has said.

Products are bio-degradable, eco-friendly and cost-effective

Jute products are ideal alternatives for use-and-throw items made of plastic

Entrepreneurs to get support in the form of marketing and buyer-seller meets

Udhagamandalam: The ecological problems plaguing this hilly district can to a significant extent be tackled if alternatives to non-biodegradable products are promoted.