Textile Ministry foresees a rise in jute availability

The Union Ministry of Textiles has forecast a 10% increase YoY in jute production for the year 2019-20. While the final estimates for 2018-19 were 72 lakh bales; estimates for 2019-20 stand at 79 lakh bales, according to the report. These figures were derived after a recent meeting of the Jute Advisory Board (JAB), under the Union Textiles Ministry. This commercial crop is grown mainly in the states of West Bengal, Assam and Bihar, with a small part of production in Andhra Pradesh. Cultivation for jute started in April this year and is expected to take approximately 4 months.