Jute: India’s Golden Fibre

Why in News?

India continues to maintain its position as the world’s largest producer of raw jute and leading producer of jute goods. According to the Third Advance Estimate of Production of Food Grains for 2025–26, production of jute and mesta is estimated to have increased from 88.02 lakh bales in 2024–25 to 94.03 lakh bales in 2025–26. India accounts for around 75% of estimated global jute-goods production and has a strong jute-processing base, particularly in West Bengal.

About Jute

Jute is one of India’s most important natural bast fibres and is popularly known as the “Golden Fibre” because of its characteristic golden colour and silky lustre. In trade and industrial usage, jute and mesta are collectively referred to as raw jute because of their similar end uses. Mesta is cultivated as a relatively low-cost alternative to jute, particularly in drier agro-climatic regions.

India is the largest producer of raw jute, with West Bengal contributing the largest share, followed by Bihar, Assam, Odisha and Jharkhand. Jute is generally sown during March–April and harvested within about 100–110 days. It requires hot and humid conditions and rainfall of around 700–1,500 mm during the growing period. The crop is predominantly cultivated by small and marginal farmers.

Jute Geotextiles

Jute Geotextile (JGT) is an important technical textile made from jute. It is used for slope protection, soil erosion control and soil stabilisation in earthen embankments, hill cuttings, riverbanks, canals and rainwater-harvesting structures.

JGT is also used in road and railway construction to improve load distribution and control settlement, thereby reducing maintenance requirements. In hilly regions, it can be used in concealed drainage systems to regulate water flow while preventing soil migration. It is also used in prefabricated vertical drains to accelerate soil consolidation and improve the bearing capacity of soft soils.

Historical Context

The Partition of Bengal in 1947 disrupted the integrated jute economy. Around 80% of jute-growing areas went to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), while most jute mills remained in India, creating a shortage of raw material. To address this imbalance, the Government launched the “Grow More Jute” campaign in September 1949.

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