Delayed rain to hit raw Jute output

New Delhi, Friday, September 7, Rain deficiency in the first half of the monsoon season over the major growing region is likely to bring down the total production of raw Jute in the country. The drop in production is mainly due to a lower acreage as the sowing of the crop has been less by about ten per cent this year as compared to the last year.

The weather conditions in north Bengal and Assam have been favourable for jute cultivation, but the delayed rains in south Bengal have affected the production. The south West Bengal districts accounts for 70 per cent in terms of area and 80 per cent in terms of production. Nearly four lakh hectares of land under jute cultivation lies in the south Bengal districts of Murshidabad and Nadia. West Bengal accounts for almost 67 per cent of the total area under cultivation at 6 lakh hectares.

Sowing during 2012-13 season has been less by 25 per cent in Bihar and by 10-15 percent in certain parts of Assam. Over the last few years, the area under jute cultivation has remained constant at about 9 lakh hectares.