The experts at a workshop on 'Golden Fiber: Sustainable Livelihoods for Jute Growers and Producers' which was recently held at IDB Bhaban in the city, expressed their anxiousness over devising an active marketing policy for raw jute and jute products as there has been a noticeable hike in the demand for those items at both domestic, and international level.
According to the experts, the Bangladeshi jute item's market has marked its presence in over 100 countries across the world, with a hike in demand which owes to increased awareness amongst people about the use of natural fibre made products.
Kazi Shahed H Ferdous, Country Director Tradecraft Exchange, chaired the workshop that was jointly organized by Tradecraft Exchange and TARANGO and backed by UKaid, whereas KR Hasan, Executive Director of Jute Diversification Promotion Centre and Dr Kamal Uddin, Director General of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) were amongst the speakers.
KR Hasan said that as the government grants subsidy on raw material for jute cultivation and alongside it should also make available farm loans to the jute sector so as to boost up the production. The authorities need to act on time, while acquiring jute so as to ensure that the cultivators get appropriate prices.
According to him, at the very outset of the jute harvesting season, the government should decide on the prices of jute. Also in order to ensure that the jute cultivators draw appropriate prices, a Local Jute Purchase Monitoring Committee should be constituted with local representatives, farmers' representations and private organizations.
Dr Kamal Uddin stated that, during the initial five months of current financial year, the country exported US $156.2 million worth of jute items, against $269.3 million during the previous full fiscal year.
Jute sector is a support for over 30 million people who directly or indirectly depend on it, he said. This is because the sector engages around 3.5 million farmers as jute cultivators, 200,000 workers in jute factories, above 100,000 jute traders and above that a huge chunk of workforce is engaged in transportation and other allied services.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
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