The Centre has turned down mills’ plea to import raw jute from Bangladesh, contending that there is enough stock for the next few months.
Mill owners are witnessing extremely high demand for jute bags this year, owing to large orders from Food Corporation of India and the West Bengal government.
“Considering the monthly consumption of raw jute which has been indicated to be in the range of 5.5 lakh bales, and the current arrival in the market, there is enough raw jute available for the coming months and there is no urgency for immediate import,” the Jute Commissioner’s Office said in a communication to the Indian Jute Mills Association.
It also said a review on the import decision is likely in January-February next year.
The IJMA, in a recent letter to the Union textile secretary, had said import of raw jute has become inevitable in the present situation.
“The yield was hit due to cyclone Amphan and will be lower by at least 20 per cent than what was estimated earlier.
We have, thus, requested the Centre so that we can meet the demand for jute bags,” an official said.
The association had estimated a harvest of 75 lakh bales of raw jute this year.