Jute Cultivation : Overview , Production in Nepal
JUTE
Botanical Name: chorchorus spp
Family: Tiliaceae
Introduction
Jute is the important natural fiber useful for clothing. Jute ranks the second important fiber yielding plants after cotton and second important commercial crop after sugarcane in Nepal. Jute is a gift of nature, a fiber derived from a plant that we, in south Asia, fondly call the ‘golden fiber’ on account of its color and is a major product of international import and export. Jute is the best stem or bast fiber obtained from the secondary phloem of jute. Fibers are the elements of Sclerenchymatous cells. Strength and durability of fiber is due to presence of complex cellulose. It is a cash crop in eastern Teraibelt of Nepal and mainly concentrated in jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Siraha, Saptari, Udaypur districts. The major use of growing jute is still aimed at obtaining fiber as textile materials for the packaging sector and also for making ropes, mattresses, carpets, bags and other handicrafts.
Area and Distribution
Jute is a typical tropical crop. It has major share in the economy of the country. It is grown in terai belt and concentrated in the eastern part of Mechi, Koshi, and Sagarmatha zones. It is believed to be a traditional crop of these area. The average productivity of jute is 1.5t/ha but in research station average yield is 4.8t/ha. Jute cultivation in Nepal has been affected due to competition against spring rice, sugarcane, maize, tea, vegetable etc. Research activities on jute are the most important because the area and production have remained on the decreasing trend due to uneconomic return from jute.
Importance of jute
- Jute is a versatile fiber. It can be used independently as well as in blend with other fiber sand materials such as plastics. The major manufactured products from jute fiber are: yarnand twine, sacking, hessian and Diversified jute products.
- Sacking and gunny bags are the major traditional jute products.
- In addition to clothing fibers are utilized in paper industry and cottage industries in making baskets package bags etc.
- The young tender leaves of jute plants are eaten as vegetable.
- Jute cultivation, according to the jute researches, enriches the fertility of the soil for the next crop.
- Jute sticks are used as fuel, gunpowder charcoal and coarser paper.
- Oil is extracted from seeds used in manufacturing sopa paints etc.
Climate and soil
Warm and humid climate is favorable condition for jute cultivation. The temperature should be between 24 to 37 degree c. it grows well in alluvial or sandy loamy and clay loamy soil.
Field preparation
The land should be ploughed several times after harvesting of previous crop. Seed bed is prepared by repeatedly drilling, ploughing and leveling so that soil is finely macerated and well aerated. Seed bed should be completely clean and clod free. Manuring may be done during ploughing.
Sowing
Sowing is done manually by hand or by sowing machine in rows. Sowing of seeds is usually done during June before the arrival of first monsoon rain. After getting the sufficient moisture or light rainfall, seeds germinate and seedling arises. Then the field is leveled.
Weeding and manuring
It is done during seedling stage. Field should be completely free from weeds. Herbicides may be applied for weed control. Compost or firm yard manure, phosphorous and potash, nitrogen fertilizer can be used as a fertilizer. Urea is usually used at intervals.
Pest control
Various pesticides may be applied to the crop for controlling insect pest and fungal pests.
Harvest
Jute is harvested between 120-150 days when the flowers have been shed. Early harvesting gives good and healthy fibers. Harvesting is done by cutting plants from 8-12 feet high from its base or by uprooting. In flooded land, plants are uprooted. The harvested plants are left in the field for 3-4 days for the leaves to get dried and defoliated. The stems are then made up into bundles for steeping in water. Steeping is carried out immediately after harvest.
Process of fiber extraction
Retting
Retting is a process in which the tied bundles of jute stalks are taken to the tank by which fibers get loosened and separated from the woody stalk. The bundles are steeped in water at least 60cm to 100cm depth. The retting process is completed in 8 to 30 days, when the barks separate out easily from the stick or wood and the fibers are ready for extraction.
Stripping (fiber extraction)
Stripping is the process of removing the fibers from the stalk after the completion of retting. Fibers are removed from stalk by one of the following methods.
- Single plants are taken and their fibers are taken off.
- Taken off a handful of stalks and breaking it in a to and fro motion in water.
- Washing the stalk first by standing in waist deep water and then stripping afterwards.
When there is a plenty of water, bundles of stalks are laid in the pond ditches or slow moving streams and left for 5-15 days under water. The bunch of stem is held in one hand and the root end tapped lightly with a mallet. After the rest of the fibers loosens, the fibers are extracted and washed.
Washing and drying
Extracted fibers are washed in clean water. The dark color of fiber can be removed by dipping them in tamarind water for 15 to 20 minutes and again washed in clean water. After squeezing excess water, the fibers are hung on bamboo railing for 2-3 days for sun drying.
Bailing and packing
The jute fibers are graded into tops, middles, B, C and X-bottoms. Then they are transported to jute market or direct to jute mills.
Constrains in jute production in Nepal
The unavailability of quality seed, lack of irrigation, water at sowing, diseases complex (wilt), labor shortage at peal season, weed problem, lack of retting pond/retting water and unstable or low price are the main constrains in the jute production. Price is one of the main factor which determines the economic scales of production in jute. Price of raw jute fluctuated year after year and not stagnates. Jute price in Nepal has always depends on kolkatta market.
Recommendation: Government should give subsidy to the growers. Price of the jute marketing should be fixed according to the quality of jute. All the intercultural operations should be done in time.
Conclusion: Jute is a cash crop which play an important role in uplifting the economy of farmers. It is the gift of nature which is also called the golden fiber. The basic need of human, the cloth is made from fiber and different daily using bags, carpets and many other things can be made from fiber. If proper price of raw jute is given to the growers, they will be able to grow more. For this the proper knowledge about the jute production should be given to the farmers so that the financial problems of poor farmers can be solved.
References
- worldjute.com
- Agronomy journal of Nepal (Agron JN) Vol 3. 2013
- sasecrtn.edu.np
- roshansubedi wordpress blog
Writer: Ramita Badu(Address: Gauradaha, Jhapa ,College: Institute of agriculture and animal science)