National Jute Board’s Role in the Transformative Implementation of the Jute Crop

Syllabus: GS3/Economy and Agriculture

Context

• The evolution of India’s jute sector has entered a decisive new phase with the implementation of the Jute Crop Information System (JCIS).

About

• The National Jute Board has been implementing the Jute Crop Information System project since 2023 in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Jute Corporation of India.
• Aim: To monitor jute cultivation using remote sensing and field data. As part of this initiative, two key tools have been developed:
  • BHUVAN JUMP, a mobile app for on-field jute monitoring, and
  • PATSAN (Prospective Assessment of Jute Using Mobile App-Based Field Observations), a web-based platform that provides near-real-time jute surveillance and analytics to support informed decision-making by officials and stakeholders.

Need for JCIS

• Prior to the introduction of JCIS, the jute ecosystem was marked by structural limitations that constrained both planning and productivity. 
• Crop area and yield estimates were largely based on fragmented inputs and expert assessments, often resulting in inconsistencies and delays. 
• Field data collection remained manual, with limited standardization and absence of geo-referencing. 
• The lack of real-time mechanisms to detect crop stress arising from floods, droughts, pests, or temperature variations led to delayed responses and higher crop losses. 

Jute Production In India

• It is also called the golden fibre, in view of being a natural, renewable, biodegradable and eco-friendly product. 
• India is the largest producer of jute followed by Bangladesh and China.
  • However, in terms of acreage and trade, Bangladesh takes the lead accounting for three-fourth of the global jute exports in comparison to India.
  • Most of the Jute is consumed domestically due to its vast domestic market demand, with an average domestic consumption of 90% of total production.
• The jute sector provides direct employment to about 4 lakh workers in the country and supports the livelihood of around 40 lakh farm families.
• West Bengal, Bihar and Assam account for almost 99% of India’s total production.

Challenges for Jute Industry in India

• Competition from Synthetic Fibers: Jute faces stiff competition from synthetic fibers like polypropylene and polyester, which are often considered more versatile and cost-effective. 
• Lack of Innovation and Product Diversification: The industry is facing challenges in terms of limited product innovation and diversification. 
• Quality Issues: Under retting, jute bundles are kept under water at a depth of about 30 cm. This process gives the fiber its shine, color, and strength.
  • It should ideally be done in slow moving, clean water bodies like rivers. But Indian farmers do not have access to such resources. 
• Concerns of Jute mills in India: Jute mills are marred by issues of Machinery modernisation, Mismanagement, Labour shortage, and Unrest and dependence on the government. 
• Price Fluctuations: Jute prices are volatile, influenced by climate conditions and supply-demand imbalances, which affects the stability of the industry.

Government Steps for Jute Production

• Continuation of Jute Packaging Material (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act,1987.
  • The Government has kept reservations 100% for food grains and 20% for sugar, to be packed in jute packaging material. 
• Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Raw Jute.
• The Government has approved an Umbrella scheme namely National Jute Development Program (NJDP) for implementation during 2021-22 to 2025-26 for overall development and promotion of the Jute Sector. 

NJDP covers following schemes:

• Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise (Jute ICARE): To   introduce a package of scientific methods of jute cultivation and retting exercises.
• Jute Resource cum Production Centre (JRCPC): To spread jute diversification programmes by providing training to new artisans.
• Jute Raw Material Bank (JRMB): To supply jute raw material to jute artisans, MSMEs for production of JDPs at Mill Gate price.
• Jute Design Resource Centre (JDRC): For designing and development of market worthy innovative jute diversified products and helping existing and new JDP manufacturers and exporters.
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme: To support Jute Mills and MSME JDP units for manufacturing and exporting JDPs and making them cost competitive in the international markets. 
• Market Development Promotion activities (Domestic & Exports): Development  of  Jute  Mark  Logo  for Certification  of  Quality  Jute  Diversified  products and Launching publicity  campaign  to  popularize  jute.

Source: PIB