Storing more than 40 tonnes of raw jute for more than a month banned

Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, Bir Pratik, said in order to ensure the supply of raw jute on the domestic market and expedite the flow of jute and jute products, dealers and warehouse owners will be barred from stocking over 40 tonnes (1,000 maunds) of raw jute for more than a month.

The minister directed the Department of Jute to take necessary steps in this regard, said a press release from the Ministry of Textiles and Jute on Wednesday.

The minister made the statements during a meeting with the leaders of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) and the Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA) at the Secretariat today.

Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute Lokman Hossain Mia, Additional Secretary of the Ministry Sabina Yasmin, BJMA Chairman Md Mahbubur Rahman Patwari, BJSA Chairman Md Zahid Miah, and other leaders of the associations were present at the meeting.

The minister said, "The jute mills' production is at risk due to the recent crisis of raw jute in the country. In this situation, the government will take effective measures to ensure the supply of raw jute to continue the trend of export income of jute and jute products." 

"The Department of Jute has been directed to take the necessary steps to prevent unscrupulous traders from buying, selling and stockpiling raw jute; prevent the sale and purchase of wet raw jute; and ensure the supply of raw jute on the market," added the minister.

According to the press release, effective measures have also been taken to ensure a steady supply of seeds to ensure jute cultivation as per the targets during the current jute cultivation season. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Textiles and Jute have jointly prepared a roadmap for five years to achieve self-sufficiency in quality jute seed production. 

If all goes well, Bangladesh will be self-sufficient in improved jute seed production by 2025 and the country will not be dependent on imports anymore for the collection of necessary jute seeds, read the press release.

The implementation of the roadmap will start this jute cultivation season. It will be implemented fully, step by step, in the next five years. 

The textiles and jute ministry is implementing the Advanced Technology Based Jute and Jute Seed Production and Expansion Project under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) to achieve self-sufficiency in high yielding jute seed production and to motivate and assist farmers in quality jute production.

The project is being implemented in 230 upazilas of 46 districts of the country. The project is directly benefiting 1,53,000 jute farmers and indirectly benefiting 6,12,000 farmers and their family members every year, the press release added. 

In the first four months (July-December) of the current fiscal year 2020-21, Bangladesh earned around $6,681 million by exporting jute and jute products, which was 30.56% higher than that in the same period last fiscal year. It was also 19.29% higher than the target, said the press release.