Diversified jute products waiting commercial production
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Amin Ahmed
Diversified uses of jute have long awaited commercial exploitation although such uses of the fibre could restore the glory that it once enjoyed in the country's export trade. The traditional uses of jute as packing materials declined after the invention of synthetic materials. However, there are jute mills in India which are running competitively and earning foreign currencies by producing traditional packing materials such as hessian and jute bags.
Why Bangladeshi mills are not succeeding in a similar manner needs to be traced down for taking corrective steps. Experts say, there are opportunities for cost cutting and attainment of operational efficiency in the production processes of jute mills of Bangladesh. Such steps were neglected. But if these steps are now taken with sincerity, then there will be every reason for the jute mills to run profitably even by producing the traditional jute products.
Meanwhile, very exciting prospects are there for new jute-based products. More than a decade ago it was reported that paper mills in Bangladesh would be using green jute plants to produce pulp and paper. But since then, the move in this direction died down. Jute is recognised as one of the superior category raw materials to produce paper. More significantly, Bangladesh can also probably turn out to be a major exporter of pulp and paper in the international market by producing the same from green jute plants. Recently, some newspaper reports were noted about experimental ventures being again made to produce pulp and paper from jute plants. The progress was also stated to be encouraging.
One would only hope that these projects like the previous ones would not die down. The government must remain determined to press ahead with these projects to start producing pulp and paper from jute. Only from this sector, the country may earn foreign currency in significant amounts. More importantly, these earnings would reflect value-additions at every step and diversely benefit the economy. The uses of the fibre as jute-plastic, yarn for clothing and upholsteries for cars and furniture and for matting embankments, were discovered years ago.
The prospects for greater use of jute products have brightened worldwide as manufacturers are increasingly searching for environment friendly and biodegradable products to replace synthetic products which are now considered environmentally unsound.
Private entrepreneurs, on their own, should have worked on these prospects to turn those into commercial ventures. But private entrepreneurs in many cases are found not to invest in research and development. Therefore, it is imperative for the relevant ministries to promote the production of new jute-based products by engaging in dialogue with the private sector both at home and abroad.
Under the WTO guidelines, the use of synthetic fibres could be prohibited worldwide and opportunities could be created for the use of natural fibres instead. Much prospects could be created for the use of jute products in the automobile industry. But the opportunities can be exploited only with sound plans and their implementation.
Diversified uses of jute have long awaited commercial exploitation although such uses of the fibre could restore the glory that it once enjoyed in the country's export trade. The traditional uses of jute as packing materials declined after the invention of synthetic materials. However, there are jute mills in India which are running competitively and earning foreign currencies by producing traditional packing materials such as hessian and jute bags.
Why Bangladeshi mills are not succeeding in a similar manner needs to be traced down for taking corrective steps. Experts say, there are opportunities for cost cutting and attainment of operational efficiency in the production processes of jute mills of Bangladesh. Such steps were neglected. But if these steps are now taken with sincerity, then there will be every reason for the jute mills to run profitably even by producing the traditional jute products.
Meanwhile, very exciting prospects are there for new jute-based products. More than a decade ago it was reported that paper mills in Bangladesh would be using green jute plants to produce pulp and paper. But since then, the move in this direction died down. Jute is recognised as one of the superior category raw materials to produce paper. More significantly, Bangladesh can also probably turn out to be a major exporter of pulp and paper in the international market by producing the same from green jute plants. Recently, some newspaper reports were noted about experimental ventures being again made to produce pulp and paper from jute plants. The progress was also stated to be encouraging.
One would only hope that these projects like the previous ones would not die down. The government must remain determined to press ahead with these projects to start producing pulp and paper from jute. Only from this sector, the country may earn foreign currency in significant amounts. More importantly, these earnings would reflect value-additions at every step and diversely benefit the economy. The uses of the fibre as jute-plastic, yarn for clothing and upholsteries for cars and furniture and for matting embankments, were discovered years ago.
The prospects for greater use of jute products have brightened worldwide as manufacturers are increasingly searching for environment friendly and biodegradable products to replace synthetic products which are now considered environmentally unsound.
Private entrepreneurs, on their own, should have worked on these prospects to turn those into commercial ventures. But private entrepreneurs in many cases are found not to invest in research and development. Therefore, it is imperative for the relevant ministries to promote the production of new jute-based products by engaging in dialogue with the private sector both at home and abroad.
Under the WTO guidelines, the use of synthetic fibres could be prohibited worldwide and opportunities could be created for the use of natural fibres instead. Much prospects could be created for the use of jute products in the automobile industry. But the opportunities can be exploited only with sound plans and their implementation.