Textiles Secy reviews status of jute cultivation

New Delhi: Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Textiles, on Wednesday reviewed the status of jute cultivation and preparedness for the ongoing crop season and emphasised the need for ensuring the timely availability of high-yielding varieties of certified jute seeds, and enhancing coordination among central and state agencies.

Rao highlighted the continued implementation of the Jute-ICARE (Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise) Scheme, which supports farmers through improved seed distribution, mechanisation tools, and field-level demonstrations, the Textile Ministry said in a statement.

On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC), National Jute Board (NJB), and Jute Corporation of India (JCI) to strengthen backward and forward linkages of jute cultivation in the North Eastern Region (NER).

The MoU aims to facilitate improved market access and value realisation for jute farmers, strengthening procurement and aggregation systems, and promoting processing and value addition in the region.

Senior officials from major jute-growing states, including Assam, Odisha, Nagaland, and Meghalaya, attended the meeting. However, representatives from the states of West Bengal and Bihar did not attend the State Agriculture Conference.

Representatives from the Directorate of Jute Development (DoJD), National Jute Board (NJB), Jute Corporation of India (JCI), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO, etc. were also present.