Jute
The golden fibre, searching for its stability
History
Like every country has its own significance in agriculture, India is famous for Jute. The connection between the golden fibre and its history dates back to ancient time. Sometimes, it is seen as a cultural symbol. It dates back to the period when jute was used by the Chinese people for paper making purpose. According to the Ain-i-Akbari (1590), it was also used to make clothes, especially for the poor villagers in India during the Mughal period. But in the 17th century, with the overwhelming response in trading jute, British set up companies tying in with East India Company in Bengal. The handloom factories propagated across India. At one time, its business was in a booming state and especially Bengal was known for its integral part. As the state was considered as the riverine state, British East-India Company used Bengal as the most convenient jute manufacturing place. Then it spread across other countries like France, Germany, America and Belgium. Its growth slowed after the independence of India. British left India and some Marwaris acquired the factories. Pakistan felt the need of Jute industries. Then, when Bangladesh got independence from Pakistan, the industry rose there.
Definition, Process of making and uses
A long, shiny natural fibre that is spun into a strong and coarse thread is called Jute. The definition says everything. Due to its natural, shiny colour, it is called a golden fibre also. At the time of its production, it needs a humid climate. As the stems come from the jute plant, it goes for the process called retting where stems are retted in the water. After separating the fibres, it needs to be stripped. At last, the non-fibrous things are thrown away and the genuine extracted fibre is collected for further work. Jute is used for various purposes like it can be used to make clothes, burlap, bags and so many things. If we dig a little deep, we get it as a soup dish for Arabians. Some Arabian countries use it as drinking juice.
Eco-friendly
It is 100% bio-degradable. The second-most important and sustainable vegetable fibre to cotton, needs less water, maintenance, pesticides. Raw jute is used for making paper. It doesn’t pollute our environment like plastic does. It helps to absorb Co2 and supplies us with O2. According to research, Jute absorbs 15 tonnes of Co2 approx. from the environment. Due to its versatility, it not only produces jute related products but can be used with other kinds of thread and fibre. It is also considered as a good conductor of heat. These points prove to us that Jute is eco-friendly in nature.
Conclusion
It is referred to as various names which differ according to the region. A country’s civilization is involved with it. As time passed, some alternatives started to blossom and its business was waning. Factories are being shut down. Jute workers are being retrenched. Their salary is being cut. There are now 83 jute mills in India. Some are active and some are closed.
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But its sublimity is still there. According to statistics, India is still considered the largest producer of jute products. As it is one of the most important foreign exchange earners, the committee in Lok Sabha is trying to re-establish the interest in jute business.
