The Hindu Business Line : Centre keen on marketing of diversified jute products

The Union Minister of State for Textiles, Mr E.V.K.S. Elangovan, on Tuesday said the Union Government wanted to increase the overall jute products export and also the ratio of the diversified jute products (DJP) in the export basket.

He also called upon consumers to widen the use of jute-based product application that is environment-friendly and supported rural women employment.

The Government, under the National Jute Policy introduced last year, has planned to raise jute products exports from Rs 1,200 crore (during 2005-06), which includes the Rs 313-crore DJP exports, to Rs 5,000 crore over the next three years. In the total jute products export basket, the share of the DJPs now constitutes 25 per cent.

Mr Elangovan was speaking after inaugurating a weeklong `Life-style DJP fair' in the city sponsored by the Jute Manufacturers Development Council (JMDC) and the National Centre for Jute Diversification (NCJD). The country processes about 16 lakh tonne of jute products annually worth about Rs 6,000 crore out of 1.10 lakh bales or 19 lakh tonne of raw jute produced by it. Its value-added jute products or the DJPs are estimated to constitute about 8 per cent of the total jute products.

Talking to presspersons, Mr Elangovan said that his Ministry, in deference to the demands of the textile industry, has recommended strongly the extension of the technology upgradation fund scheme (TUFS) beyond March 2007. "In all probability, his Ministry's demand for the TUFS tenure extension would be conceded by the Centre," he hoped.

Participating at the inaugural function, the JMDC Secretary, Mr Atri Bhattacharya, said the promotion of DJPs was being sought through the creation of market linkage by holding exhibitions, which also help to get consumer feedback on the products sold in the market.

Emerging areas

He said that with regard to bulk jute products exports, huge investments were needed to find out new areas of product applications. Foodgrade packaging, geo-textiles and automotive product accessories are some of the emerging areas that offer huge market potential.

The pilot projects, being implemented in five States where rural roads under the Prime Minister's Rural Road Development Scheme are being developed using jute on a stretch of 10-km each, once completed, would show the future potential of application of jute in geo-textiles, Mr Bhattacharya said. While the project was completed in West Bengal, it is under way in the other States, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa.

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