The golden fibre as an agricultural product
Friday, 4 January 2008
Md. Rezaul Karim
JUTE is agricultural product, produced in cultivable land by the farmers. In all stages of the production of jutes a large number of people is required. Bangladesh is densely populated. So, the cultivation of jute is invariably favourable here as labour is cheap. Rather the climate does not disqualify Bangladesh from putting the plough in the cultivable land during monsoon.
Jute has lost its past glory because of the wrong policies of different regimes. But the untiring attitude of the private shippers and exporters extended a great help for survival of jute at national and international levels under the guidance of Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA).
It may be mentioned here that BJA is the national representative body of raw jute traders and exporters in the private sector. It is the pivot of raw jute business and steered the export of raw jute to overseas countries in the face of the poor performance of the government sector. The member-exporters of BJA, despite their multifarious problems have been working to create a platform to develop the jute sector. They have been earning foreign exchange on an average Taka 8.0 billion(800 crore) to 10.0 billion(1000 crore) for Bangladesh every year by exporting 2.4/2.5 million (24/25 lakh) bales.
Raw jute is also an export-oriented item and it earns valuable foreign exchange for the nation. Once jute was the main source of earning foreign exchange. But with the passage of time the sudden rise of apparels and garments, adding incentives to the national economy, has crowded out in the international market.
The emergence of synthetic sector has had an adverse effect on the development of jute sector. As soon as the synthetic occupied the market, the demand for jute in the international market was believed to have been extinct. But recently the demand for jute has resurfaced in the global market due to relentless efforts of the member-shippers and exporters of the BJA.
Jute is a natural fibre, it is durable and eco-friendly. Since the jute goods are perishable and the worldwide demand for jute has increased because of eco-friendly character, Bangladesh as a quality and lead producer of jute was branded as a land of golden fibre, jute. In the face of the world wide demand, the UNO has endorsed the proposal of FAO and declared 2009 as the year of natural fibre.
On an invitation to the assembly of business magnets organised by the ministry of commerce on September 05, 2007, I availed myself the opportunity of highlighting the raw jute trade and export in Radisson Hotel, Dhaka where the Chief Advisor of the caretaker government(CG) and the Chief of Staff, Bangladesh Army were present as the chief guest and the guest of honour respectively.
I firmly appealed to the government, to declare raw jute as agricultural product and the export of raw jute as agro-based industrial operation. Because the exporters of raw jute use to purchase jute at the growers level of the interior market and after processing the same in different grades packed in pucca bale form about 180 kgs. each bale for export. From growers level to export, there are various stages and it costs more money after purchase of loose jute. Because of different processing stages value addition is indispensable. Hence it falls under semi-processing industry.
I would like to say that our demand is genuine and for that reason, raw jute should be recognised as agricultural product and raw jute export should be treated as agro-based industry. All facilities as applicable for agro-based industry should be given to the raw jute exporters to boost up further export and thereby more foreign exchange can be earned from this sector.
The matters relating to jute sector should be properly looked into on priority basis, for implementation of the required policy-supports since this sector is deprived of the same during the time of all the past government.
..............................................................
The writer is Chairman, Bangladesh Jute Association
JUTE is agricultural product, produced in cultivable land by the farmers. In all stages of the production of jutes a large number of people is required. Bangladesh is densely populated. So, the cultivation of jute is invariably favourable here as labour is cheap. Rather the climate does not disqualify Bangladesh from putting the plough in the cultivable land during monsoon.
Jute has lost its past glory because of the wrong policies of different regimes. But the untiring attitude of the private shippers and exporters extended a great help for survival of jute at national and international levels under the guidance of Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA).
It may be mentioned here that BJA is the national representative body of raw jute traders and exporters in the private sector. It is the pivot of raw jute business and steered the export of raw jute to overseas countries in the face of the poor performance of the government sector. The member-exporters of BJA, despite their multifarious problems have been working to create a platform to develop the jute sector. They have been earning foreign exchange on an average Taka 8.0 billion(800 crore) to 10.0 billion(1000 crore) for Bangladesh every year by exporting 2.4/2.5 million (24/25 lakh) bales.
Raw jute is also an export-oriented item and it earns valuable foreign exchange for the nation. Once jute was the main source of earning foreign exchange. But with the passage of time the sudden rise of apparels and garments, adding incentives to the national economy, has crowded out in the international market.
The emergence of synthetic sector has had an adverse effect on the development of jute sector. As soon as the synthetic occupied the market, the demand for jute in the international market was believed to have been extinct. But recently the demand for jute has resurfaced in the global market due to relentless efforts of the member-shippers and exporters of the BJA.
Jute is a natural fibre, it is durable and eco-friendly. Since the jute goods are perishable and the worldwide demand for jute has increased because of eco-friendly character, Bangladesh as a quality and lead producer of jute was branded as a land of golden fibre, jute. In the face of the world wide demand, the UNO has endorsed the proposal of FAO and declared 2009 as the year of natural fibre.
On an invitation to the assembly of business magnets organised by the ministry of commerce on September 05, 2007, I availed myself the opportunity of highlighting the raw jute trade and export in Radisson Hotel, Dhaka where the Chief Advisor of the caretaker government(CG) and the Chief of Staff, Bangladesh Army were present as the chief guest and the guest of honour respectively.
I firmly appealed to the government, to declare raw jute as agricultural product and the export of raw jute as agro-based industrial operation. Because the exporters of raw jute use to purchase jute at the growers level of the interior market and after processing the same in different grades packed in pucca bale form about 180 kgs. each bale for export. From growers level to export, there are various stages and it costs more money after purchase of loose jute. Because of different processing stages value addition is indispensable. Hence it falls under semi-processing industry.
I would like to say that our demand is genuine and for that reason, raw jute should be recognised as agricultural product and raw jute export should be treated as agro-based industry. All facilities as applicable for agro-based industry should be given to the raw jute exporters to boost up further export and thereby more foreign exchange can be earned from this sector.
The matters relating to jute sector should be properly looked into on priority basis, for implementation of the required policy-supports since this sector is deprived of the same during the time of all the past government.
..............................................................
The writer is Chairman, Bangladesh Jute Association