Question

Mention three problems of the jute textile industry in India.

Answer 1

Hint: India’s very first jute factory was established at Rishira,located near Kolkata in the year 1854. Prior to independence, India had a monopoly in both production of raw jute as well as jute manufacturing. However, the Jute textile industry is marred with several problems right since independence.

Complete answer:
At the time of partition, most of the Jute mills had remained in India while major Jute producing areas went towards East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh). The problem of raw material had created a crisis in the Jute sector at the time when Pakistan had denied the supply of raw Jute to India.
Any problems of Jute Textile Industries are as follows:
1.Shortage of Raw Material-
Despite the efforts of the Government in order to increase the area that was under Jute, India is still not self-sufficient in raw material. The raw material is imported from countries like Bangladesh along with other countries. The problems are further aggravated by import of finished Jute products both legally as well as illegally. Such problems don’t allow the Jute industry to be competitive.
2.Obsolete Mills and Machinery-
The mills as well as machinery in the Jute sector are obsolete and they do need technology upgradation. The Government of India had launched a Jute Technology Mission (JTM) in the year 2006 along with four mini Missions over Jute Research; Development / extension of raw jute agriculture; marketing of raw jute and processing, utilisation as well as industrial aspects of raw jute. However this mission was unable to achieve its targets and used the allocated funds.
3.Competition-
Indian Jute industry even today faces competition in the global market with countries like Bangladesh, Philippines, South Korea, Japan etc. The industry also loses competitiveness because of the obsolete technology, higher prices and industrial sickness present in the Jute mills. The industry has however become stagnant, unproductive and inefficient because of the over dependence on jute sacks; and non-diversification.

Note:
Jute refers to a natural fibre having a golden, soft, long, and silky shine. It is the very cheapest fibre procured from the skin of the plant’s stem. Due to its colours and high cash value, Jute is also known as a golden fibre. Therefore, the Golden Fibre Revolution in India is all related to jute production.
After cotton, jute is said to be the most important vegetable fibre in consumption, production, usage, as well as availability. At the time of industrial revolution, jute was started being used like a raw material in the fabric industry and even today, the processed jute is used in order to make strong threads as well as jute products.