• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for raw Jute for 2017-18 season in order to protect the economic interests of the farmers.
• Jute is mainly used as raw material for Packaging Industry.
• The increase in MSP would benefit the Jute industry which supports the livelihood of around 40 lakh farm families and provides direct employment to 3.7 lakh workers in organised mills and in diversified units including tertiary sector and allied activities.
• These farm families are mainly concentrated in the States of West Bengal, Bihar and Assam which account for over 95% of the area as well as jute production in the country.

More about Jute Production in India:

• Next to cotton, jute is the second important fibre crop of India. Jute is in great demand because of the cheapness, softness, strength, length, lustre and uniformity of its fibre.
• It is used for manufacturing a large variety of articles such as gunny bags, hessian, ropes, strings, carpets, rugs and clothes, tarpaulins, upholstery and decoration pieces.

Conditions of Growth:

• Jute is the crop of hot and humid climate. It requires high temperature varying from 24°C to 35°C and heavy rainfall of 120 to 150 cm with 80 to 90 per cent relative humidity during the period of its growth Small amount of pre-monsoon rainfall varying from 25 cm to 55 cm is very useful because it helps in the proper growth of the plant till the arrival of the proper monsoon. Incessant and untimely rainfalls as well as prolonged droughts are detrimental to this crop. Rainfall between 2.5 to 7.5 cm in a month, during the sowing period, is considered to be sufficient.
• Occasional showers varying from 2 to 3 cm at intervals of a week’s time during the growing period are very useful.
• Large quantity of water is required not only for growing the jute crop but also for processing the fibre after the crop is harvested.
• Light sandy or clayey loams are considered to be best suited soils for jute.
• Since jute rapidly exhausts the fertility of soil, it is necessary that the soil is replenished annually by the silt-laden flood water of the rivers.
• Large supply of cheap labour is also necessary for growing and processing the jute fibre.
• Neutral loamy soil rich in organic matter. The soil should have sufficient drainage facility.

Source: Wiki & PIB