The jute industry is one of India's oldest and most prominent industries. The country has been trading this versatile fiber since the early days of the East-India Company in pre-independent India. It still finds its spot as an influential industry in modern-day India and is prevalent in eastern states like West Bengal and Assam. It generates wealth and engages millions of people. In the financial year 2020, jute was responsible for adding more than 37 billion Indian rupees to the Indian economy.
India ranks first globally in jute production. Over one million metric tons of this crop were produced in the financial year 2022 and about 660 thousand hectares of the area were harvested for jute. The jute plant’s stem and ribbon (outer skin) are used to produce jute fibers. Jute fibers are among the world's longest natural textile fibers. Furthermore, the eastern state of West Bengal was the leading producer of jute with a production volume of over five thousand bales in 2021, followed by Assam and Bihar.
Jute products are in high demand outside India. The export volume of India's jute goods during the financial year 2022 was over 161 thousand metric tons. However, the decade’s first half experienced a much higher volume of foreign trade. The export volume of goods made from sacking jute observed a series of fluctuations in the last decade. In the financial year 2022, India exported jute commodities worth more than 37 billion Indian rupees in value to other countries.
Jute is biodegradable and environmental-friendly. Often referred to as the “golden fiber” due to its shiny appearance, jute in its raw form undergoes a variety of processes like spinning, weaving, bleaching, dyeing, and finishing. Due to its versatility, natural jute has applications in making ropes, curtains, carpets, sacks, etc., and is a sturdy and safe packaging material. The consumption of raw jute in Indian mills showed fluctuations, that could be owed to the continuously increasing procurement prices of this natural fiber in recent years.
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