Nagaland Signs MoU to Promote Jute & Natural Fibres Farming

National Jute Board (NJB), Jute Corporation of India Ltd. (JCI), ICAR–Central Research Institute for Jute & Allied Fibres (ICAR-CRIJAF), and Agriculture Department of Nagaland, signed a four-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Key Highlights

  • Duration: 2025–26 to 2030–31 (5 years).
  • Objective: Expand jute cultivation, improve agronomic practices, and introduce fibres such as flax, ramie, and sisal on a pilot scale.
  • Benefits: Alternative cash crops, higher farmer incomes, sustainable livelihoods.
  • Eco-Impact: Jute is biodegradable, renewable, eco-friendly, and a substitute for plastics and timber.
  • Current Cultivation: ~3,000 hectares suitable in Nagaland; 350 hectares already under cultivation.
  • Market Advantage: With JCI support, prices rose from ₹25–30/kg (middlemen) to ₹56.40/kg (2024).
  • Geographic Spread: Peren, Chümoukedima, Dimapur, Niuland, Wokha, Mon, Mokokchung.
  • Implementation: Training and awareness from Nov 2025; sowing starts Feb 2026.

Scope Of Collaboration

  • Agriculture Dept. – Identify schemes, mobilise farmers.
  • NJB – Technical, financial & promotional support (Jute ICARE, New Age Fibre Mission).
  • CRIJAF – R&D, improved seed varieties, technical guidance.
  • JCI – Procurement & price support mechanisms.

About Jute

  • Category: Bast fibre crop (like flax, hemp, ramie, kenaf).
  • Major Growing Areas: Eastern India – West Bengal (dominant), Bihar, Assam. Bangladesh is also a global hub.

History:

  • First jute mill: Rishra, West Bengal (1855).
  • Known as “Golden Fibre” → 2nd most important cash crop in India (after cotton).

Species:

  • Tossa Jute (Corchorus olitorius) – stronger fibre.
  • White Jute (Corchorus capsularis) – softer fibre.
  • Mesta– Hibiscus cannabinus & Hibiscus sabdariffa.

Ideal Conditions:

  • Soil: Fertile loamy alluvial soil.
  • Climate: 17°C–41°C, RH 40–90%, >120 cm rainfall.
  • Harvesting: 100–150 days; best at early pod stage (balance of quality & yield).
  • Retting: Microbial water process, ideally at 34°C in clean slow-moving water.
  • Uses: Bags, ropes, pulp, paper, geotextiles, garments, carbon composites, wall coverings, flooring.
  • Employment: Supports 14 million livelihoods.

Benefits Of Jute Fibres

  • Eco-friendly – Biodegradable alternative to plastics.
  • Sustainability – Requires less land, water, pesticides vs cotton.
  • Farmer Income – ₹35,000–40,000/acre from fibre, stalk, leaves.
  • Carbon Sequestration – Up to 1.5 tonnes CO₂/ha/year absorbed.
  • Industrial Potential – Value-added products (composites, textiles, activated carbon, geotextiles).

Challenges

  • Water scarcity for retting (due to reduced natural flooding).
  • Underutilised capacity: Industry at ~55% utilisation.
  • Outdated technology: Many jute mills run machinery >30 years old.
  • Product diversification gap: Still heavily dependent on sacks (due to govt orders).
  • Regional imbalance: ~60/70 jute mills located along Hooghly (West Bengal).
  • Policy gaps: Weak enforcement of Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987.

Government Schemes For Jute

  • Jute Packaging Materials Act, 1987 (JPMA) – mandatory jute use in packaging.
  • National Jute Policy, 2005 – holistic jute development.
  • Jute Technology Mission (JTM) – R&D, quality & productivity boost.
  • Minimum Support Price (MSP) for raw jute.
  • Jute ICARE Project – Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise.
  • National Technical Textiles Mission – includes jute-based geotextiles.
  • Jute SMART – digital platform for jute bag procurement.

Way Forward

  • Golden Fibre Revolution – Increase cultivation, quality, diversification, exports.
  • Water/Flood Management – Controlled irrigation to ease retting.
  • Technology Upgradation – Subsidised machinery for mills.
  • Product Innovation – Promote geotextiles, activated carbon, composites.
  • Policy Strengthening – Better enforcement of JPMA, updated to new needs.

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