Govt plans to turn more raw jute into high-value products: minister

Textile and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir yesterday said the government is working to convert raw jute into high-value products to maximise foreign exchange earnings and revenue.

The government is also promoting promising sectors beyond readymade garments (RMG), including silk, handloom and diversified jute products, he said while inaugurating a six-day “Multipurpose Jute Products Fair” and the sales outlet “JDPC EXPRESS” at the Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) premises in Tejgaon, Dhaka, as the chief guest.

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A permanent showroom is being launched at the JDPC to promote these products and expand their markets, he said.

The government aims to attract local buyers through fairs and exhibitions while raising awareness of these products among foreign buyers, he added.

The minister said the products include both machine-made and handmade items, with the latter mostly produced by cottage and small industries.

Replying to a question on the diversification and export expansion of jute goods, Muktadir said a plan was being developed in coordination with the JDPC and private-sector entrepreneurs’ associations.

There is little value addition in exporting raw jute, but its value can be multiplied by gradually converting it into high-value products such as sliver, packaging materials and blended fibre, he said, expressing optimism about the sector’s prospects.

The government is also working to make the country’s GI products, multipurpose jute goods, Rajshahi silk, handloom and other textile products better known and more widely used, Muktadir said.

“At the peak of the market last year, raw jute was priced at around Tk 1.5 lakh, or about $1,200, per tonne,” the minister said.

He said the same quantity of jute could fetch around $2,400-$2,500 if converted into packaging products.

Blended fibre products made by mixing jute with cotton or other fibres could earn around $4,000-$5,000 per tonne, he added.

The government’s goal is to convert the largest possible share of the country’s jute output into value-added products, Muktadir said.

“Work is under way in coordination with relevant institutions and entrepreneurs to determine how much jute can be used in which sectors and for what kinds of products.”

He expressed hope that these efforts would help maximise foreign exchange earnings and revenue from jute.

State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam said the fair aims to promote local products in the domestic market, expand the use of eco-friendly goods and discourage the use of polythene.

The government is also working to make the country’s geographical indication (GI) products, diversified jute goods, Rajshahi silk, handloom and other textile products better known and more widely used, he said.

“The golden fibre jute was once tied to the country’s pride and people’s emotions, but much of that heritage has been lost over time,” he said.

Such fairs are being organised as part of efforts to increase jute production, expand the use of diversified jute products, develop domestic and international markets, and generate more value from the fibre, he added.

The JDPC organises such fairs at various locations across the country every year, Shariful said.

He said “JDPC EXPRESS” would operate as a permanent sales and display centre, offering diversified jute products alongside handloom and silk items. There are also plans to set up similar showrooms at other important locations in the future.

The government is also considering setting up showrooms or display centres for local products at international airports and Bangladesh’s missions abroad.

To raise awareness and promote the use of these products at home and abroad, they need to be effectively marketed internationally, he said.

“With the cooperation of entrepreneurs and the media, the government wants to showcase local products more widely in the global market.”

The six-day fair will run from October 3 to 8, from 10am to 8pm daily.

The new outlet, “JDPC EXPRESS”, will remain open seven days a week, from 11am to 8pm.