Ban on raw jute export goes
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Jasim Uddin Haroon
The government has lifted the ban on export of raw jute amid pressures by the jute traders.
Earlier on December 7, the government imposed a ban on export of raw jute mainly to ensure adequate availability for the local jute mills, which sparked protests with workers and jute exporters putting up road barricades in Khulna-Jessore high way.
The government took the decision to ban export of jute as the local mills were facing trouble in procuring the raw material because of price hike in the domestic market.
The export prices for raw jute has hiked to US$ 600 a tonne this year against $525-$550 in the previous year.
The domestic prices ranged between Tk 1700 and Tk 1800 a maund.
A senior official at the ministry of Textile and Jute told the FE Saturday: "The government has withdrawn the ban Thursday considering the financial losses by the jute traders."
The ban was imposed on December 7 and the raw jute that were in the port ready for shipment also came under the order.
Sheikh Farook Hossain, chairman of Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA), a group of around 250 jute traders, told the FE: "We've learnt about the decision relating to the withdrawal of the ban by the ministry."
India, Pakistan, China are the large buyers of local jute while Britain, Spain, Ivory Coast, Germany and Brazil also import raw jute from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is the world's largest jute growing country and it produces around 5.5 million bales of jute each year.
BJA sources said local exporters numbering around 150 had exported 850,000 bales prior to the imposition of the ban.
The government has lifted the ban on export of raw jute amid pressures by the jute traders.
Earlier on December 7, the government imposed a ban on export of raw jute mainly to ensure adequate availability for the local jute mills, which sparked protests with workers and jute exporters putting up road barricades in Khulna-Jessore high way.
The government took the decision to ban export of jute as the local mills were facing trouble in procuring the raw material because of price hike in the domestic market.
The export prices for raw jute has hiked to US$ 600 a tonne this year against $525-$550 in the previous year.
The domestic prices ranged between Tk 1700 and Tk 1800 a maund.
A senior official at the ministry of Textile and Jute told the FE Saturday: "The government has withdrawn the ban Thursday considering the financial losses by the jute traders."
The ban was imposed on December 7 and the raw jute that were in the port ready for shipment also came under the order.
Sheikh Farook Hossain, chairman of Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA), a group of around 250 jute traders, told the FE: "We've learnt about the decision relating to the withdrawal of the ban by the ministry."
India, Pakistan, China are the large buyers of local jute while Britain, Spain, Ivory Coast, Germany and Brazil also import raw jute from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is the world's largest jute growing country and it produces around 5.5 million bales of jute each year.
BJA sources said local exporters numbering around 150 had exported 850,000 bales prior to the imposition of the ban.