When the nation is moving ahead with the prospect of revamping jute production following discovery of the genome of the jute plant, not much has been done to increase the level of production and marketing of jute products, both at home and abroad. The government enacted a law three years back, making it mandatory for the packaging of certain products with jute bags. Surprisingly, the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act is yet to be enforced. Neither the government nor private jute mill owners seem to be interested in following the Act, putting forward various excuses.
Government officials say the law is there and has been enforced. On the other hand, private mill owners allege that all facilities under the Act are being provided for public sector jute mills alone, and private mill owners are yet to get a fair share of it.
Jute growers, millers, researchers and experts feel that if the law is properly implemented, it would increase local consumption of jute by creating its demand at home and also boost exports, ensuring more foreign exchange earnings for the nation.
It is also emphasised that the Act would ensure a fair price for jute and thus encourage growers to increase production.
Neighbouring India started mandatory use of jute in 1987. Bangladesh enacted the mandatory jute packaging Act in 2010.
The nation grows about 800,000 bales of jute every year on about 757,000 hectares. About 14 per cent of the jute is used domestically, while the remaining 86 per cent is exported, mostly in the form of jute yarn and gunny bags. In the latest Jute Policy, framed by the government in 2011, a target was set to raise the domestic use of jute by 25 per cent over the next 10 years.
Currently, Bangladesh exports around 20 lakh bales of raw jute a year. The local factories use 40 lakh bales to make yarn and jute goods, more than 80 per cent of which are exported. By one estimate, 70 per cent of local raw jute are used for the production of 84 crore bags.
The law was enacted to increase the use of environment-friendly jute goods instead of polythene or polypropylene bags for environmental reasons, as well as to boost production, use and export of jute. Another objective was to give financial shelter to the public and private sector jute mills.
The manufacturers will have to use packaging materials made of at least 75 per cent jute fibre, according to the law. Initially, products such as rice, paddy, wheat, sugar, seeds, fertiliser and saplings are to come under the purview of the Act. On the basis of recommendations made by a committee led by the ministry and other stakeholders, more commodities will gradually be added.
About 200 million bags are needed for packaging of 20 million tons of food grains, which will require at least 0.6 million bales of jute. The food department uses jute bags only for 1.3-1.4 million tons of food grains.
The Bangladesh Jute Mills Association, an organisation of the private sector jute mill owners, has demanded that the government implement the Act to raise local consumption of bio-degradable goods. They said if the Act is executed, the domestic use of eco-friendly products will increase by 60 to 70 per cent. They also demanded payment of outstanding cash incentives, which stands at Tk. 5.88 billion in the last four years.
Senior secretary of the textile and jute ministry, Md Ashraful Maqbul, told The Independent that at the advisory committee meeting in the first week of September, it was decided that there would have to be 100 per cent use of jute sack in the case of rice, maize and sugar packaging.
“Hopefully, a gazette will be issued within this month and we will send it to the Jute Directorate. It will monitor the situation with the help of a mobile court,” he added.
-With The Independent input
