The government has declared that the city markets would be freed from polythene and polypropylene shopping bags by December 31. And environment-friendly alternatives, such as jute bags must be used for shopping.
The jute ministry has sought cooperation from all quarters to introduce jute bags across the country. An initiative will have to be taken to ensure widespread use of environment-friendly jute packaging as per the Jute Packaging Act, 2010.
Cashing on in the government’s initiative, an organised syndicate comprising traders and hoarders have already started hoarding raw jute in order to create an artificial crisis in the local market and control the supply of the fibre as well. They have already increased the price of raw jute across the country, according to different national dailies and news agencies reports.
The price of raw jute went up to Tk 2,200 to Tk 4000 per maund this week in Syedpur and Nilphamari districts. As raw jute price hike went out of control fuelled by a supply shortage. The price of finished jute products has also increased by 25-30 percent.
According to the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) and the Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA), the country produces on an average 7.5 million bales of raw jute every year. And this year, 72 lakh and 86 thousand bales of raw jute have been produced.
The price of raw jute went
up to Tk 2,200 to Tk 4000
per maund this week
Many jute mills will be forced to suspend operation if the raw jute’s price does not come down immediately. Some jute mills are running operation below their capacity as they are failing to buy the natural fibre as the price has hit the record high and showed no sign of coming down.
We are concerned that jute mill owners are facing serious difficulties to keep their mills running because of non-availability of raw jute during this peak season. This unholy nexus of middlemen and stockists are also hiking prices and reducing supplies.
As a result, production in most jute mills and jute spinning mills in the country is being affected badly due to crisis of raw jute while the stock of unsold jute products is increasing. The raw jute crisis may lead to the closure of some jute mills, many businessmen fear.
And now the country produces 84-90 lakh bales of raw jute every year of which some 55-60 lakh bales are used in the existing 259 jute mills and jute spinning mills to process and make yarn, twine, bags, sacks and other goods mainly for export and domestic sales. Besides, 10-15 lakh bales of raw jute are used for household purposes while seven to 10 lakh bales of raw jute are exported annually.
When farmers are leaning towards the jute farming as they are getting lucrative prices for its produce paving the way of getting back to the golden era of the cash crop in near future, country’s jute millers are not getting raw jute.
The government should launch an anti-hoarding drive to flash out raw jute stocks illegally and show zero tolerance against the traders and hoarders found illegally hoarding raw jute in secret godowns. Steps will also have to be taken against unlicensed traders involved in sales, purchase or storing of raw jute.
The government must go for immediate action against the hoarders and middlemen who are increasing the price of raw jute through a strong syndication across the country.
