Hummingbird News Desk
BEHRAMPORE, 20 FEB: With the application of science and technology, the traditional jute fibre can be made better in colour and quality enabling India to survive in the competitive jute market globally, stated Murshidabad district officials of Paschimbanga Viggyan Manch here today.
In a written representation addressed to the Public Accounts Committee yesterday at Behrampore, the science forum recommended use of a new machine and innovative treatment of jute fibre in a non-natural and non-traditional way. The PAC headed by the Congress MP, Mr. Adhir Chowdhury held the concluding session of its annual meet at Behrampore town this week.
A machine, already put in place but not in wide use, has been specially designed for segregating the green fibre from the jute stalks while in traditional way the farmers separate the fibre manually after retting of the jute stalks in ponds, rivulets, lakes and lagoons, said Mr. Pankaj Kumar Mondal of PVM.
“We have urged the PAC members to consider and recommend a new method of jute retting wherein the fibres, separated with the new machine prior to retting, are accumulated, mixed with a chemical (DAP, a phosphorus-based fertilizer) and put into a small reservoir for retting”, said Mr. Tapan Samanta, chief of the science forum in Murshidabad. The chemical treatment not only lends a golden color to the jute fibre but also makes it qualitative enough meet export quality, he added.
According to the science forum, it is necessary to sensitize the government agencies as well as farmers about efficacy of the innovative method of producing high quality jute. In the Bagri region of Murshidabad district, especially in Kandi and Jangipur area located on the right bank of the Bhagirathi river, jute fibres produced by the farmers in traditional way are mainly used to make papers because such fibres are poor in quality, said Mr. Sajal Biswas, Murshidabad district secretary of Paschimbanga Viggyan Manch. “We have urged the PAC to consider the matter of popularizing the technology-based method of jute farming which also has the potential to lessen environmental pollution”, he said adding 70% golden jute fibre, if mixed with 30% nylon, can produce a new fabric which is in great demand in fashion design industry.
It has been found that the jute farming, especially the retting process, in India is often affected during drought and scanty rainfalls but the new method enables farmers to create artificial reservoirs for jute retting, said the agriculture experts here.
