Dear Readers,
Jute has
Jute has been accepted today, in the International market, as an Eco-friendly product and also can augment for the Environmental pollution, in the Globe. There are numerous Jute utility & decorative products, other than Jute traditional products, that can be used in the Daily life of the Individuals. In order to make the people aware of the new Jute product ranges, I have just made an attempt to place before you some of the News Articles published about the Jute events, and there may be some errors (due to typographical / in interpreting ) published with / without our knowledge, or due to small entrepreneurs, who could have provided some of their "Personal Views/points", which may please be condoned. I request you to take this effort in the Right Spirit and provide your support by sending your views and suggestions and Jute related News Articles, in this Blog, as a token of supporting an Eco-friendly Cause.
From the Author
Published in “The Hindu” dated 2nd Jan’2015 ( Madurai)Eco-friendly jute products in demand
Collector L. Subramanian looking at exhibits at the Jute Fair in Madurai on Wednesday.— Photo: S. James
“With more people
becoming conscious of the ills of plastics, the demand for jute products, jute
bags in particular, has steadily risen over the last few years,” said S. Kumar,
founder of Jute Pagnya from Bengaluru.
His is one among 31
stalls from across the country at the Jute Fair organised by National Jute
Board at Chellam Century Hall here on Wednesday. The four-day
exhibition-cum-sale of jute products has manufacturers and entrepreneurs from
Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala participating with
a variety of products till January 4.
S. Janaki of Jana
Jute Products, a Madurai-based company, said in the last five years there had
been an increase in bulk orders for jute products.
“‘Tamboolam’ bags
for weddings, in particular, are always in demand as people feel that jute bags
are durable and re-usable, compared to plastic,” she added.
“The Small
Industries Product Promotion Organisation (SIPPO) has been giving training in
making jute products in Madurai for those who want to get into small-scale
entrepreneurship,” said K. Palanivelmurugan, its General Manager.
Among the products
on display are jute bags, mats, swings, water bottle covers, wall hangings and
jewellery.
Stating that
production of jute products was favoured by many small-scale entrepreneurs as
it was a viable venture, T. Ayyappan, Market Promotion Officer from the
National Jute Board, said it also had a good export market with a steady demand
abroad.
The Jute Board had
also displayed posters of the uses of jute products at schools, offices and
homes and how the bio-degradable products could help minimise the use of other
materials which were harmful to the environment.
Aanvi Singhal, a
college student, said that she had purchased a few jute bags as they were
durable and aesthetically pleasing as gifts.
Published in “Jannalmedia.com” dated 1st Jan'2015
மதுரையில் சணல் கண்காட்சி |
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Associated only with gunny bags for long, today jute handbags, purses, cell covers have become very common. What is also becoming common is the use of jute in apparel design
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The first recommendation for jute is that it is natural and therefore biodegradable and immensely desirable for eco-friendly consumers. Though jute does evoke the image of the shapeless rice sacks one saw when growing up, doubling up as doormats in their mud-coloured glory, the story has changed. The hessian (the jute thread) comes now in finer avatar, making it immensely usable for a variety of purposes.
The variety
Jute Emporium on TTK Road, for instance, is really that - a store with a variety of products made mainly from jute. Right from the handbags on display near the showroom entrance to the mobile pouches, wallets, footwear, suitcases, travel bags, even jewellery. the variety is exhausting, and seems to be unending. Rajalakshmi Srikanth, proprietor, says, "Jewellery is quite popular, especially among those travelling abroad as it is light and an attractive gifting item." Gift bags are another hit, and move fast during the Navaratri season. Jewellery boxes, kolam mats, wall hangings, show pieces, lamp shades, there is really no end to the possibilities, she believes.
Today, there are many dedicated jute craft stores that deal in a variety of products. One import export firm does a range of products just for horse riding, while there is another that does jute footwear. Jute wine bags, paintings, home furnishing, floor coverings, the list goes on.
Rajalakshmi in fact encourages women to try out creative designs using jute and other natural materials like wooden beads and has them on display at her showroom. She doubles these up with designer bags fashioned in West Bengal, where jute is a native crop and the primary supplier of jute fibre.
"Jute is biodegradable, and like cotton, can take any colour. Currently, polypropylene is used to stiffen it, but there are experiments on to change the material to something natural," says T. Ayyappan, Market Promotion Officer, National Jute Board.
Over the Years
It is only in the last 20 years that jute has gained popularity and its uses expanded. This has largely been due to the efforts made by the UNDP, which was looking for a fibre that could be an alternative to cotton. They promoted the material through the National Jute Promotion Board, and today, due to technological advancements particularly in the areas of manufacturing, processing and fabric production, jute is available from fine to extremely fine yarns with variety of colours.
Says M. Aravendan, Associate Professor and Centre Coordinator, Department of Fashion and Lifestyle Accessories, NIFT, Chennai, "Now, jute apparel or garments are available for all occasions. Hand blocked, hand printed, embroidered, quilted and tie and dyed variety of jute garments look very fashionable." He adds that jute apparel are in great demand and are used by top designers to fabricate great looking formal and casual wear. Very fine threads of jute are also used by them to make false silk and related fit outs. "There is a vast range of soft, long lasting and stylish jute apparel available in the market in a tremendous array of colours," says he.
Ayyappan, very passionate about promoting the jute industry in the southern region, says that many jute-cotton, jute silk products are available in the market. The board has even managed to convert coir mattress manufacturers in Kerala to use jute since the latter is softer and easier to make. "In the US, the use of jute is becoming common," he says and adds that jute contributes Rs. 200-250 crores of exports from just jute bags. With jute floor coverings, it could be Rs. 300 crores. The overall exports is higher.
Jute apparel
The common belief is that while jute may be fine in the hand, it may not be comfortable draping against the skin. But according to Aravendan, comfort depends on the nature of material, the type of yarn/twist, weave pattern and special finishing process, if any. "One can make a fabric with less number of ends in both warp weft (open structured) by using very fine jute yarns, making it comfortable for the wearer. Going for jute and cotton blend will be a better option with respect to comfort and cost effectiveness," he explains.
In fact, a weaver in Anakaputtur, C. Sekar - President of the Jute Weaver's Association there - says that he does 200 jute silk saris every month and supplies it to a store in Chennai. "We need more space to increase our production as there is a lot of demand for these." He is trying to get a Jute Model Village status for Anakaputtur and has bagged a place in Limca Book of World Records for using 25 different natural fibres for apparels. "There is a lot of demand for jute silk saris from Delhi, Mumbai and even abroad," he adds.
Jute is like cotton, and dress materials and shirt materials are also available. Sekar uses both natural and chemical dyes. "It is a low cost, high quality fabric. Because of the processing involved, the cost is higher than cotton, but it also lasts long," he adds.
NIFT Chennai has done many interventions in the area of Jute Diversified products. They conduct design development workshops and entrepreneurship development programmes for jute artisans and prospective jute entrepreneurs of Tamil Nadu. The creative designs developed for the varieties of the contemporary product applications like Fashion Jute Accessories, fancy bags, lifestyle articles etc., in these workshops have gained very good response from the industries, says Aravendan.
As the world moves towards greener, natural products, needless to say, jute diversified products offer a viable alternative. What it needs is evangelising, which people like Ayyappan backed by the Jute Board are attempting to do. Given that here too fashion and utility go hand in hand, in time, jute could be a household name for more than just gunny bags.
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An Article published in Business Standard dated 29th Aug’2011 - Courtesy PTI
Indians prefer eco-friendly products: Nielsen
Press Trust of India / New Delhi August 29, 2011
While shopping, a majority of Indians prefer to make decisions based on the impact of their purchases on environment and sustainability, according to a survey by the Nielsen Company.
"The Indian consumer is increasingly conscious of the benefits of environmentally friendly and sustainable practices... 86% Indian consumers surveyed, place faith in energy efficient products and appliances, followed by recyclable packaging (79%)," Global Online Environment and Sustainability Survey by Nielsen said.
Least impact was given to products not tested on animals (41%) and fair trade products (44%).
However, when it comes to actual buying, only about 44% Indians purchase eco-friendly products as they are 'very expensive'.
"The sensitivities to want ecologically friendly products are in place, but the high price of items [ranging] from recycled paper to organic foods make it difficult for consumers to purchase them for everyday use," Nielsen Executive Director Dipita Chakraborty said.
Given a choice, the Indian shopper would go for these, rather than a value for money deal, she added.
The trend is in line with global numbers, where 83% believe that manufacturers using recycled packaging and producing energy efficient products and appliances have a positive impact on the environment.
"The Indian shopper is very much in sync with the global consumer when it comes to environmentally sustainable products, from organic products to those tested on animals, there is fairly wide awareness among Indian consumers on what practice is environmentally friendly," Chakraborty said.
The survey results are based on responses of more than 25,000 Internet respondents in 51 countries throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and North America.
India is one of the top three countries within Asia Pacific that have shown an affinity towards eco-friendly products.
Willingness to buy eco friendly products is highest in Vietnam and Indonesia, while New Zealand, Thailand and Malaysia prioritise purchase based on value for money and promotions.
Concern about climate change and global warming among online consumers in India has taken a back seat compared to other issues surrounding air and water pollution.
"Globally too, concerns around pollution override the issue of global warming," the survey said.
In India, while nine out of 10 people surveyed were concerned about air and water pollution, eight out of ten people thought that climate change was an important environmental issue.
Please CLICK this LINK, to read the Article :
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News about BAN on Plastic Bags and Use of "Jute Bags" for packing 'LADDU' at Tirupathi (Tirumala) [ Published in Dinamani on 16th May 2011 ]
16 May 2011 03:03:26 AM IST
திருமலையில் பிளாஸ்டிக் ஒழிப்பு: சணல், காகிதப் பையில் லட்டு
திருப்பதி,மே.15: திருமலை கோவில் நிர்வாகம் சுற்றுச்சூழலை காக்கும் வகையில் பிளாஸ்டிக் ஒழிப்பு நடவடிக்கையை தீவிரமாக மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறது.
இதன் ஒரு பகுதியாக பக்தர்களுக்கு பிளாஸ்டிக் கவரில் லட்டு வழங்கப்படுவதற்கு மாற்றாக சணல், காகிதத்தால் ஆன பைகளில் லட்டுகளை வழங்க முடிவு செய்துள்ளது. இதற்கான பணியை ஆந்திர மாநில மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகள் கழகம் மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறது.
இந்நிலையில் சணல் பை ரூ.6, காகித பை ரூ.4 விலையில் தயாரித்து சோதனை அடிப்படையில் பக்தர்களிடம் விற்பனை செய்து அவர்களிடம் கருத்து கேட்கப்பட்டது.
எனவே கோவில் நிர்வாகம் விரைவில் பிளாஸ்டிக் கவர்களை முற்றிலுமாக ஒழித்து சணல் பைகளில் லட்டு வழங்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும் எனத் தெரிகிறது.
இதன் ஒரு பகுதியாக பக்தர்களுக்கு பிளாஸ்டிக் கவரில் லட்டு வழங்கப்படுவதற்கு மாற்றாக சணல், காகிதத்தால் ஆன பைகளில் லட்டுகளை வழங்க முடிவு செய்துள்ளது. இதற்கான பணியை ஆந்திர மாநில மாற்றுத் திறனாளிகள் கழகம் மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறது.
இந்நிலையில் சணல் பை ரூ.6, காகித பை ரூ.4 விலையில் தயாரித்து சோதனை அடிப்படையில் பக்தர்களிடம் விற்பனை செய்து அவர்களிடம் கருத்து கேட்கப்பட்டது.
எனவே கோவில் நிர்வாகம் விரைவில் பிளாஸ்டிக் கவர்களை முற்றிலுமாக ஒழித்து சணல் பைகளில் லட்டு வழங்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும் எனத் தெரிகிறது.
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| Inauguration of Navaratri Jute Fair, ( sponsored by NJB ) at Chennai by Mrs. Sobhana, I.A.S. on 29.09.2010 (Source : www.chennai.tn.nic.in) |
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Anyone with even the most rudimentary knowledge of Indian geography would be able to tell that India is a V-shaped peninsula. At the southern-most tip of that “V” is the district of Kanyakumari, where three great seas merge – the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. It’s a district with a proud record of being 100% literate, and now it has another feather on its cap - it has gone completely free of plastic bags and cups, as of 1st April 2010 . Who is the inspiration behind this campaign? What were the strategies that made it a success?
Madavi Nathan Oliver, a resident of Nagercoil, the district headquarters of Kanyakumari in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, shares her discoveries.
BIG CHANGE CAN START SMALL
Vendor wrapping fruit with Lotus leaf and newspaper
It is more than a year since I came from the US for my sabbatical in India. It is mango season now and I stop at the fruit vendor on KP road. I buy a kilo of mangoes, a dozen oranges and half a kilo of green grapes. The vendor weighs the fruits, packs it and hands it to me. I am pleasantly surprised. It is nicely packed as usual, but the surprise is that it’s packed the “green way” – in used newspaper with achannall (thin coir thread) holding it together. Last year this time when I bought fruits from the same vendor he packed each fruit type in a plastic bag and then put all 3 plastic bags in another big plastic bag! What a difference – and no inconvenience at all. It occurred to me that this is even better than the, “Would you like to pack it in plastic or paper, ma’m?” option they give at grocery stores in USA.
I became very curious and came to know that the change is all courtesy of the “Quit Plastics – Save the Earth” campaign led by the local district collector, with support from elected leaders and the administration in Kanyakumari District. The background of this successful program is an inspiring story and a case study on how to effect change.
First, a bit about the place – Kanyakumari District is the smallest district in Tamil Nadu, India and Nagercoil where I have been living for the past year, is the district headquarters. Located at the southernmost tip of peninsular India, it is a beautiful beach destination and lies at the confluence of three water bodies – the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea.
Referred to by the British as Cape Comorin, Kanyakumari has been named after the Goddess Kanyakumari Amman. It was part of the state of Travancore for a long time before it merged with Tamil Nadu. A visitor to Kanyakumari has many interesting places to choose from – temples, beaches and historic sites. Unfortunately, this beautiful location is also victim to plastic and other pollutants.
Rajendra Ratnoo (far right)
Eager to find out more about how they succeeded in stopping the use of plastic bags, I met with the man behind the movement,Rajendra Ratnoo, the District Collector of Kanyakumari district – a senior civil servant from the Indian Administrative Service(IAS). After all, it’s no easy task to change this practice of using plastic bags we have carelessly gotten ourselves into. I also interviewed multiple shop owners and ordinary citizens.
The official ban and enforcement on using plastic bags and cups went into effect onApril 1st 2010 after several months of the popular “quit plastics” campaign planning. In my opinion, the key words for success here are: Educate, Empower, Energize and Enforce.
Training the women at Swamithoppu village
EDUCATE: The campaigners didn’t just say, “Quit Plastics.” Think for a moment. If you are unaware that there is a problem then you wouldn’t think of fixing it. The campaign first aimed at making the public conscious of the ill effects of using non-degradable plastic products. They focused on plastic bags and cups. They trained people on how to quit the habit. They held numerous public seminars, provided tips (for example, always keep a carry bag in the vehicle) and exhibited alternatives.
For both the awareness and training part of the campaign, they involved people at the grass roots level – traders associations – of kaikari vyabarikal (vegetable vendors),erachi kadais (butchers), kalyanan mandaabams (wedding halls), grocery stores and even sanitary workers. They got the buy in of electorate representatives, ward members, panchayat(village council) leaders, schools, college principals, religious leaders, collectorate and district level officers.
For both the awareness and training part of the campaign, they involved people at the grass roots level – traders associations – of kaikari vyabarikal (vegetable vendors),erachi kadais (butchers), kalyanan mandaabams (wedding halls), grocery stores and even sanitary workers. They got the buy in of electorate representatives, ward members, panchayat(village council) leaders, schools, college principals, religious leaders, collectorate and district level officers.
The process used multiple channels of communications – FM radio, print, TV, interpersonal communication, text messages, communications through schools, colleges and religious media. Even a Facebook Page called Plastics Free Kanyakumari has been set up to share and discuss the journey.
Within only one week people got into the mode of “BYOB”!!! (Bring Your Own Bag). Cloth bags, net bags, canvas bags, baskets- and hurrah! No plastic bags in sight! Vendors figured out innovative ways of packaging their goods in easy to carry, neat looking newspaper parcels. Takeaways in hotels used banana leaves for dosais (Indian pancake). Butchers used lotus leaves to pack meat.
The positive message about the campaign reached the person on the street, very successfully. It was heartening to hear many of them say, “Bhoomikku romba nallathu amma” (Good for the earth, mam). For example, our newspaper delivery man knew about it and he felt that the roads are much cleaner. He also commented that it is actually a profitable scheme for shopkeepers, elaborating that previously people used to take plastic bags even if they just purchased one or two small items, which they now carry without a plastic bag.
EMPOWER: A resolution was passed in local bodies (consisting of 1,057 rural habitations, 56 Town Panchayats (village councils) and 4 Municipalities) throughout the district not to use throw away plastic items. Authorities were empowered to impose a fine of 100 rupees to anyone found carrying a plastic bag. Shops that provided or sold plastic bags are subject to higher fines, seizure of materials and even shut down for non-compliance. The administration also empowered a few local entrepreneurs to provide alternative solutions to plastic bags and cups. Local companies started producing fiber bags and paper cups to supply to the shops.
I recall a situation when I went to the local super market and said “Oops, I didn’t bring my own bag!” However, the store was better prepared than I was. They sold cloth bags which look like fancy versions of the manjal thambula pais (the yellow bags they give out as favors in Indian weddings). They come in different sizes, starting at 3 rupees per bag. I bought 2 bags – nice orange and green ones. I still use them, and hope to proudly take them to shops in the USA as well!!
Rajendra Ratnoo(left), Madavi Oliver(centre) with others
ENERGIZE:
A unique feature of this campaign is the “practice before you preach” methodology. Rajendra Ratnoo himself led the effort. He and his family first stopped using plastics, followed by the entire staff at the Collector office and other district level officers. Then it trickled down to leaders, opinion makers, electorate reps, ward members, panchayat officers, and sanitary workers.
The collector was visibly present, often sporting a green shirt, at numerous meetings and training sessions. He secured the firm support of the Minister, Member of Parliament and other elected officials from Kanyakumari district. His enthusiasm was present online as well. He was quick to respond to blogs and other online chatter on the matter. These are all a refreshing experience for the public and unusual in India. This infectious energy from the top down made the public and the vendors extend their cooperation.
No Plastic Bag sign at Pharmacy
There are many examples that demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm about the program. Employees of a local companyRedEgg InfoExpert, used the ban plastics theme in their fashion parade competition to promote the idea. A local bakery, Cake World, displays a prominent sign advocating the benefits of not using plastics. Vegetable vendorVincent proudly sells a cloth bag with his own branding.
The owner of Eden Pharmacy says that most tablets and small medicine bottles have always been packed in a brown covers. Before they used to put this brown cover in a plastic bag, and now they don’t. Since the ban went into effect, they bought 50 cloth bags to keep as a backup. But, they have had to only give out 5-6 in the past 2 months. Most people bring their own bags nowadays. He also cautioned that the most important thing is to keep checking, since people slowly slack off and sneak these bags back into use.
ENFORCE : The enforcement started on the pre-announced day of April 1st, 2010. Even the enforcement approach is unique. While the threat of a 100 rupee fine keeps the person on the street from using a plastic bag, the Collector’s philosophy again is thoughtful. He encourages his squad, “It’s not about how many miscreants you find, but how many you check for”.
ENFORCE : The enforcement started on the pre-announced day of April 1st, 2010. Even the enforcement approach is unique. While the threat of a 100 rupee fine keeps the person on the street from using a plastic bag, the Collector’s philosophy again is thoughtful. He encourages his squad, “It’s not about how many miscreants you find, but how many you check for”.
Planning with District Level key officials
I learned that he was present in person at businesses and convinced them on the merits of the program. They used short messages on mobile phones to quickly communicate about the ban. They formed 94 flying squads and inspected shops, hotels and other commercial establishments to check on the use of plastics. These surprise inspections go on even now.
The administration is also very swift to act. A few days ago a local branch of a major retailer chain was still packing groceries in plastic bags. Within hours of this incident being reported via facebook, the district officials including the SDM & RDO Nagercoil, along with Commissioner, Municipal Administration, and Pollution Control Board Officials inspected the premises. They seized 82.59 kg of plastic carry bags and cups. The department store was also locked down until they complied with the regulations. Again, something you don’t see your typical administration execute so well in India. Many kudos to Kanyakumari!!
In some ways, it is a déjà vu of my childhood days. If you rewind history, the non-use of plastics is not new to India. During my childhood in the 60s, Mom used to (always) take a basket to market, a tiffin box to buy mutton, “thuni pai (cloth bag)” for groceries. There has always been a green movement in India. It is weaved into the culture of saving, reusing and saving more. Do you remember the paper guy calling out “palzhaya paperu!!” (old papers) and how we sold our end of year school notebooks, old text books, magazines and newspapers to him? And the person who buys glass bottles and even people who buy old clothes you wish to dispose and give you some “ever silver” (stainless steel) vessels in return.
I recall using every part of a coconut or banana tree and burning off dry leaf waste. People used to put eggshells as manure for their rose plants. I would be wrong to say no one does these things any more. It’s just that fewer people do it in these modern times. Unknowingly we have shifted towards consumerism and waste production. As our lifestyles have changed we have also changed. We just need to go back to our roots.
I had to make changes in my own home. No plastic bags to line the waste bucket – what do I do? Solution – compost the green matter, save the paper, bottles and other recyclable goods to resell, dispose and wash the bin everyday – there is less trash anyway. And just for fun, we decided to wash and save the eggs shells to make a mosaic .
Set your own date to quit using plastic bags. But do it before it’s too late to turn back. You don’t have to live in the Kanyakumari district to do it. Do it anywhere in the world. All you have to do is carry a bag or two in your vehicle. Make a stand. You can do your part by saying no to – one plastic bag at a time.
Many thanks to Madavi Nathan Oliver for sharing this inspiring story. Madavi grew up in Chennai, moved to Boston, USA and lived there for 20 years. Giving in to the call of the homeland, she and her family decided to move and live in Nagercoil, India for a year. In the US recycling is easier since there are bins everywhere and home pickup of the recyclables. In India there are not many formal systems in place but it used to be part of the culture. The “plastic free” inititative by the local collector jolted her out of a year long complacency and excessive use of the easily available plastic bag. Now she is back to BYOB and more.
For more photos of the “No Plastics” campaign in Kanyakumari, check out Madavi’s Picassa Album.
Other links you may be interested in:
Flagging-Off Jute rally at Chennai
Thiru. Ma. Subramanian, Hon’ble Mayor of Chennai Corporation flagged-off the Jute Promotional Rally held at Chennai on 15th Feb’10 in the presence of Shri. Bupender Singh, I.A.S., Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India & Shri. Atri Bhattacharya, I.A.S., Secretary, JMDC & E.D., NCJD
SOURCE : www.galatta.com
Please click the following link to view the photos at Jute Festival, Chennai held during 15th to 18th Feb'2010
SOURCE : THE HINDU dated 8th Oct'09
National Fibre Policy by December: Maran
Special Correspondent
| It will address issues such as duty structure and the pricing of fibres |
ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS: Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran at the interactive session with representatives of the jute sector in Kolkata on Wednesday.
KOLKATA: India will put in place by December 2009, A National Fibre Policy will be in place by December to provide a level playing field to the industry, Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran said here on Wednesday.
Addressing a meeting on jute, he said the policy would address issues such as duty structure and the pricing of fibres needed to augment investment and enhance the global competitiveness of the labour-intensive industry. Apparel exports had increased by five per cent between April and September 2009.
The Minister pulled up the industry for its dependence on protection measures like the Jute Packaging Order, saying that the industry did not want to upgrade. “It is regrettable that jute as a fibre has not been exploited and jute products face threat from rivals. The protection is good environmentally and socially, but this seems to be acting as disincentive and a barrier to modernisation,” he remarked.
He said the Ministry favoured increasing the Minimum Support Price of jute from Rs. 1,375 to Rs. 1,675 a quintal. “The government will always intervene to protect farmers,” he told the gathering of industrialists.
Mr. Maran asked the industry to diversify and adopt value-addition. The Ministry had taken up the proposal for increasing the subsidy from Rs. 70 lakh to Rs. 3.50 crore a mill, he said. The Minister announced that the government would shortly take up a $4-million project with the International Jute Study Group for testing, standardisation and promotion of Jute Geotextiles which find use in areas like erosion control, and soil reinforcement.
He said efforts were on to increase market access for textiles by tapping markets like Japan which are now looking to diversify their import base beyond China. Of the $15-20 billion worth of textile imports by Japan, only $340 million was from India, Mr. Maran said. The global downturn had affected textile exports but the domestic demand had softened the impact. With the Western market inching towards a recovery, exports were now increasing, Mr. Maran said.
Source : Business Standard - Oct-09
Pretty Jute
Jute Fair, exhibition cum sale at Jaya Auditorium in Kozhikode | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Rajesh, Feb 12, 2011
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Kozhikode: Jute Fair, exhibition cum sale of jute products has begun at Jaya Auditorium in Kozhikode. Around 30 jute entrepreneurs from different parts of the country display their products in the fair, organized by National Jute Board, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
Most of the floor mats are handmade with wide array of colors, patterns, designs and multipurpose utilities.
The price range of handmade play swings are rupees 350 to 2000. Both light and dark colored yarn are used for making these elegant products. White colored swing with brown border shades has a dazzling bright spark.
Lion share of Indian jute products are based in Kolkata. Later southern states like Tamilnadu and Karnataka entered in the jute industry. The ban of plastics and non –biodegradable packages has made new entry for jute products in domestic market. Foreigners are also attracted in jute items thanks to its eco- friendliness and bio-degradability. India earns about 1100 crore by exporting Jute Diversified Products.
Vetri Women-empowering the woman
“Even a small jute bag can carry comparatively good weight than other carry bags. These environment friendly bags are long lasting and washable too. We procure raw material from Kolkata and our products are designed and made in Coimbatore unit by our dedicated craftswomen. Even the making of a tiny money purse requires hard work and patience, because each of the bag pieces is cut manually to get perfection. Our price range differs from 10 rupees to 450 depending on the production cost. Apart from the production unit, we have a show room in Coimbatore to sell bags and similar items.”
The great advantage of the self help group is the government fairs across Tamilnadu where we get free stalls to promote our sail”-says Anarkali.
Innovative mind for aesthetic ideas and dedicated effort for success has been the mantra of this self help group. Jute fair will conclude on 13th February.
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Courtesy : www.calicutnet.com
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Vice-Chancellor, Annamalai University handing over the Sourenir of National Seminar to MPO (T.Ayyappan) held at Annamalai University, Chidambaram (Aug'10)
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NEWS PUBLISHED IN "THE HINDU" DATED 25 May'2010
Huge market for eco-friendly jute products: official
Staff Reporter
EXTENDING HELP:S. Maruthappan, General Manager (in- charge), District Industries Centre, speaking at a function in the city.
MADURAI: With increasing awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and the need for eco-friendly products on the rise among people, there is a huge market for jute products, according to S. Maruthappan, General Manager (in-charge), District Industries Centre (DIC).
He was addressing the inaugural function of a Jute Service Centre and awareness workshop on jute organised here on Monday by Small Industries Product Promotion Organisation (SIPPO) with support from the National Jute Board, Union Ministry of Textiles. Around 200 entrepreneurs and women self-help group members took part in the programme.
The service centre would provide the skills for entrepreneurs to start their own commercial venture. The initial basic training would be followed by an advanced training session. Technical and design dissemination workshops would also be conducted.
To provide marketing support for the entrepreneurs, a buyer-seller meet would be organised. The service centre would lay emphasis on quality, affordability and attractiveness of the product.
The DIC would help entrepreneurs either through the Centre's Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) or through the various State Government schemes. In the last year, around Rs. 1 crore was disbursed as subsidy through this scheme, Mr. Maruthappan said.
S. Rajagopal, Chairman and Managing Director, SIPPO, said that the raw material for the jute sector was available in abundance only in West Bengal and a few other places. Entrepreneurs in Tamil Nadu had to source jute either through Chennai or Coimbatore. To overcome this problem, a raw material bank had been proposed for Madurai.
M.T. Wakode, Director, Madurai Division of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), said that the degradable nature of jute products would help preserve the environment.
I. Ayyappan, Market Promotion Officer, National Jute Board, said, “We provide both training and marketing support. We also help entrepreneurs take part in exhibitions in India and aboard.”
KN. Subramanian, Lead District Manager, spoke about the various means of access to credit for entrepreneurs, especially the micro and small enterprises. For loans upto Rs. 5 lakh, he said that collateral security was needed to be furnished by the entrepreneur.
| Maran calls for upward revision of 22% in raw jute MSP |
| BS Reporter / Kolkata October 8, 2009, 0:12 IST |
The Ministry of Textiles is backing a 22 per cent upward revision of the minimum support price (MSP) for raw jute with an eye on increasing the overall productivity of the fibre and augmenting the area under cultivation.
Union textile minister Dayanidhi Maran said, “Although the government has increased the jute MSP by 50 per cent over the last five years, the ministry of textiles completely supports the proposal for an increase of another Rs 300 a quintal.” He however did not indicate as to when the hike would come into effect.
Currently, the MSP for raw jute is Rs 1,375 a quintal.
“The rise in MSP will encourage farmers to not just cultivate jute as an alternative crop but will also help increase the acreage. The government is concerned about the 4 million farmer families that are involved in this sector,” he added.
However, Maran did not shy away from criticising an increasingly stagnant domestic jute industry and implored to undertake rapid modernisation to remain internationally competitive.
“The industry is a little lethargic as it is assured of the demand from the government because of which many mills are not upgrading their machinery. The same machine that the British introduced are still being used. The industry has to move forward and look at diversification and value addition,” he said.
Under the Jute Technology Mission (JTM), Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for the development of modernised machinery, while Rs 80 crore has been allocated for subsidy to mills acquiring new machinery.
“There is a bottleneck in the scheme for acquisition of machinery regarding the cap on subsidy. We have taken up the matter with the finance ministry to raise the subsidy from Rs 70 lakh to Rs 3.5 crore for every mill,” Maran said. As for the proposed National Fibre Policy (NFP), the minister said that an effort would be made to bridge the tax and duty structure disparity between man-made and natural fibres. “We want to create a level-playing field through a comprehensive policy. The NFP should be ready by the end of this year,” he said.
Hasten jute land allocation process
Textile minister Dayanidhi Maran on Wednesday pressed the West Bengal government to hasten the process for land-use permission for three jute parks in the state.
Of the three parks, two are being promoted by the West Bengal Small Industries Development Corporation (WBSIDC) at Murshidabad and Coochbehar while another is being undertaken by a private entity at Shaktigarh in Burdwan.
“The jute parks have not yet taken off because of problems in transfer of land from promoters to the SPVs. I urge the state government to expedite the process,” Maran said.
The ministry has allocated Rs 60 crore to develop jute parks nationwide, including five in West Bengal. Each park would need 25-30 acres.
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Green-oriented move often counterproductive
Published in "THE WASHINGTON TIMES Dated 12th Oct'09
More and more politicians want to tax the bag you use to carry purchases home, though the purchases often have already been taxed. More than 20 bag-tax bills were introduced across the country in just the past year. From New York to Hawaii, chances are lawmakers in your state or city have considered taxing plastic shopping bags or will do so in the future.
Bag taxes were approved most recently in Washington, D.C., where next year, shoppers will have to pay a 5-cent tax on all paper and plastic bags used at every grocery, convenience and drug store in the nation's capital. This in addition to a D.C. sales tax on non-grocery and nonmedical items.
However, not everyone is jumping on the bag-tax bandwagon, and results from where it has been imposed suggest that the District's bag tax is unlikely to meet proponents' goals.
In May, the Philadelphia City Council shot down a bill to tax plastic and paper grocery bags. An attempt to implement a citywide plastic-bag ban subsequently was introduced and rejected in June.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been a vocal proponent of a 5-cent tax on plastic bags. That proposal died this year in the face of resistance from his own city council, which contended that the new levy was too costly in the midst of the deepest recession in a generation and in what already is one of the most expensive locales in the United States.
In what came as a shock to many, the crunchy, environmentally minded voters in ever-so-blue Seattle rejected a 20-cent plastic-bag tax at the polls in August by a nearly two-thirds majority. In California, legislation to impose a 25-cent bag tax died in committee.
While Americans pay taxes on almost all goods, the preponderance of budget shortfalls at the state and local level has prompted many legislators to target even that which is not purchased. Though they're nothing more than a money grab for revenue-desperate lawmakers, bag taxes are always sold to the public under the auspices of litter reduction and environmental protection.
The truth is there are no studies that show bag taxes or regulation benefit the environment. In fact, there is only evidence to the contrary.
Environmental groups and other bag-tax advocates point to Ireland and San Francisco as policy models. However, experience there highlights the ineffectiveness and adverse impact of bag taxes and regulations.
In 2007, San Francisco became the first city in the United States to pass an outright ban on plastic bags. San Francisco conducted litter audits before and after the ban. The results? The ban had no impact on the city's litter-mitigation goals. In fact, bag litter increased, making up 5.9 percent of total litter after the ban compared to 4.4 percent before the ban.
Then there is Ireland, which approved a bag tax in 2002 and is often lauded by those who wish to impose bag taxes on this side of the Atlantic.
Ireland's bag tax caused use of plastic shopping bags to decline by more than 90 percent. What bag-tax proponents conveniently fail to mention is that the amount of all plastic bags used on the Emerald Isle (including those bought to hold trash and for other uses) actually has increased 10 percent since the tax went into effect. This underscores the fact that consumers rarely discard plastic shopping bags after one use, and efforts to discourage the use of plastic shopping bags can increase the total number of plastic bags used. In fact, 92 percent of the population reuses plastic shopping bags to line trash cans, clean up after pets and for a host of other functions.
Reducing litter in our cities and states is a worthy and noble goal. However, efforts to do so by imposing a highly regressive tax on every bag used at the checkout have proved to be misguided and ineffective.
Voluntary efforts and incentives to encourage recycling and the use of reusable bags are working. In 2006 alone, recycling of plastic bags increased 24 percent. Market forces and consumer education will cause this positive trend to continue.
It is this combination of information and incentives, not taxation and regulation, that will yield the best outcome for family budgets, employers, the economy and the environment. Bag taxes and plastic-bag bans will continue to be proposed in states and cities across the country in the coming months and years. Given the results from places where such policies have been tested, lawmakers and voters would be wise to sack the bag tax.
Patrick M. Gleason is state affairs manager for Americans for Tax Reform, a nonprofit taxpayer advocacy organization.
Source : The Hindu dated 2nd June'09
Maran sets sights on high growth rate
Special Correspondent
| New Union Textiles Minister vows to create one crore jobs in the sector and make India a dominant player |
Union Minister for Textiles Dayanidhi Maran at Jute Stall.
NEW DELHI: Union Textiles Minister, Dayanidhi Maran on Monday vowed to create one crore jobs in the sector, and make India a dominant player in the world market over the next five years.
Speaking to reporters after taking charge, he said the textiles sector faced challenges because of the global economic slowdown. But his Ministry would try and achieve a growth rate of eight to 10 per cent a year.
“Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has already assured all financial assistance from the Centre to help the industry overcome the global economic slowdown. We will work with the Finance Ministry to chalk out the necessary steps,” he said.
Mr. Maran said he would focus on equipping the industry to withstand the pressures of import penetration and maintain its dominance in the growing domestic market. Small and medium enterprises would be enabled to achieve competitiveness and face the global scenario with confidence.
The Ministry would consult exporters and other players and draw up a multi-disciplinary strategy to consolidate the raw material base. It would promote modernisation and technological upgrading and attract foreign direct investment, particularly in relation to textile machinery, garmenting, and synthetic and technical textiles.
Replying to a question, Mr. Maran said he would push for the introduction of flexibility in labour laws. “It’s a long-pending demand of the industry.”
On the industry’s grievances relating to “high” prices of cotton, he said he would ensure that even while the industry got its supply of raw material at a reasonable price, cotton farmers were not let down. “We’ll work in liaison with the Agriculture Ministry to ensure that neither the industry nor the farmers suffer.”
Elaborating on his aim to create one crore jobs, Mr. Maran said he was confident of achieving the goal given the flow of investment in the sector last year.
“It is estimated that it would require an investment of Rs. 1,55,000 crore to achieve the goal. Last year, the industry saw an investment of Rs. 30,000 crore. Thus, if the investments continued at last year’s level, it would not be difficult to achieve the goal.”
The Ministry would set up centres of the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Coimbatore and other textile hubs. It would liaise with the organising committee of the Commonwealth Games to ensure meaningful representation of Indian handlooms and handicrafts at the Games.
Steps would be taken to send industry delegations to countries including China that are competing with India in the world market, to help them showcase their products and to learn from others.
Asked whether he missed being the Minister of Information Technology and Communication, he asked, “Am I looking sad?” He said he welcomed the change, as the new post was more challenging.
Source : Packagingnews.co.uk
Jute Bag Awarded the BITC Award by Price Charles
Prince recognises Supreme Creations' ethical approach
The Prince of Wales recognised cotton bag manufacturer Supreme Creations at the annual Business in the Community (BITC) Awards for Excellence this week.
Supreme Creations, the company that manufactured the "I'm not a plastic bag" jute, was awarded the BITC Supply Chain Award by Prince Charles.
The London-headquartered company was recognised for its ethical supply chain.
Supreme Creations employs more than 2,000 workers at its manufacturing base in Pondicherry in Southern India, 90% of whom are women who earn above the country's average wage.
The British High Commissioner to India and cross-party members from the House of Lords praised the company for its work in this area.
Supreme Creations chairman Sri Ram said he was honoured that his business had won the award, adding that it showed that "business underpinned by ethical foundations can create a win-win situation".
Supreme Creations' customers include Tesco, Topshop, The Co-operative, Boots and Sainsbury's.
The Co-operative won the ASDA Environmental Leadership Award at the event.
The London-headquartered company was recognised for its ethical supply chain.
Supreme Creations employs more than 2,000 workers at its manufacturing base in Pondicherry in Southern India, 90% of whom are women who earn above the country's average wage.
The British High Commissioner to India and cross-party members from the House of Lords praised the company for its work in this area.
Supreme Creations chairman Sri Ram said he was honoured that his business had won the award, adding that it showed that "business underpinned by ethical foundations can create a win-win situation".
Supreme Creations' customers include Tesco, Topshop, The Co-operative, Boots and Sainsbury's.
The Co-operative won the ASDA Environmental Leadership Award at the event.
Source : EdmontonSun.com dated 17th May’2009
Last Updated: 17th May 2009, 5:20pm
Hilton Dinner isn’t a perfect environmentalist, but that doesn’t stop him from trying.
As the co-owner of the Bon Ton Bakery, located at 8720 149 St. , he and his wife have been making small changes in an effort to be more green. Over the last year they have given away 8,000 reusable grocery bags as part of celebrations for the bakery’s 50th anniversary.
“A week ago we finished giving out the last of those,” Dinner said. “It’s really gratifying to see how many of our customers come back every week with our bag.”
He jokes: “That’s not to say I don’t give them a hard time if they don’t.”
Dinner, who admits he still drives an SUV, dreams of the day when packing a cloth bag to buy groceries is the norm. He’s currently trying to organize a group of small business owners, with the help of a local city councillor, for an initiative to put a reusable bag in the hand of every Edmontonian.
“I think we all have a role to play,” Dinner explained. “I don’t want to sound holier-than-thou – I still drive an SUV – but I try to make a difference where I can. It’s more of a community thing. We should all be playing the game. It really can be one bag at a time.”
On top of reducing the number of plastic bags the bakery gives away, Dinner’s business is also powered by wind through a company called Bullfrog Power.
Not only does going green help the environment, he said, it also boosts business.
“It’s not purely altruistic,” he readily admits. “Somewhere along the line people talk about it.”
That chatter has led to recent media attention, including an article in Westworld magazine, Dinner said. And potential customers who are environmentally conscious pay attention.
Next up for the bakery: a new bag initiative that will feature bags made of Jute, a natural fibre, crafted by a women’s cooperative in India
“We think we can make a little difference in some people’s lives,” Dinner said.
For reading the above article, pl. click : WWW.Edmontonsun.com/news
An Article published in "The Hindu" dated 22 July'2009
Special Correspondent
CHECKING IT OUT: Jute manufacturers interacting with potential wholesale buyers during an interaction arranged by the Jute Manufacturers Development Council in Chennai on Tuesday.
CHENNAI: The Jute Manufacturers’ Development Council in coordination with Union Ministry of Textiles organised a day-long interactive session between suppliers of jute diversified products and potential buyers here on Tuesday.
Twenty-five leading manufacturers from all over the country participated in the buyer-seller meet, which resulted in business negotiations to the tune of Rs 27 lakh. Spot orders were booked for about Rs 4.13 lakh. About 200 visitors, mostly large retailers, distributors, local retail chains, export-related government and hospitality organisations, participated.
According to T. Ayyappan of the council, the purpose of the meet was to make popular jute mill products and diversified products such as jute fabrics, jute floor coverings, fancy jute bags, made-ups, jute jewellery, footwear and wall decoratives.
An Article published in Times Of India on 5th May 2009
Get set jute...
Known as the raw material for sacks world over, jute is one of the most versatile fibres that finds use in the form of handicrafts, fabrics and much more...
VAISHNAVI V
It is trendy, affordable, and eco-friendly and you will like it too! Meant mainly for ropes and sacks during the yesteryear, jute is now a hot trend among the youth. Known by the name Hessian, it is one of the cheapest natural fibres and comes second only to cotton, in terms of usage. The production thrives around the regions of India and Bangladesh.
Over the years, the jute fabric has undergone a metamorphosis and how. High quality yarns of exotic colours and designs are spun at jute factories and handloom sectors world over and the finished product has come in for much demand over the past few years. The innovative designs and dyes take the credit of making jute a fashion statement. The fabric has come a long way and now finds form in handicrafts, footwear, accessories, textile, bags and apparel. It is also eco-friendly unlike most other materials. Jute fibres can be used alone or blended with other types of fibres to give it the required shine. And very fine threads of jute can be separated to make imitation silk. Jute is also widely used to weave carpets, make furnishing fabrics and even fashion footwear.
Unlike most other materials, jute is inexpensive and it is easy to replace and maintain. Jute saris and salwars are also gaining an increased preference. “Trendy , easy to replace and maintain, I prefer jute to leather, and personally consider it a step towards a green environment,” says Rajeshwari, student.
Jute bags are stylish and affordable, and lets you add the desi element to your clothes. They come in a wide splash of colours with ethnic prints. “Jute bags and accessories are more preferred than jute fabrics,” says designer Julie Verghese.
With perfection in style and colour, handicrafts made of the golden fibre adds style to the home decor.
Pavithra, a homemaker comments, “Handicrafts made of jute lend an essence of both, the modern and ethnic, to any interior, be it homes, offices, hotels or resorts.”
The current generation has come to realise and mould the old fibre into various forms, making it usable by most people.
Undoubtedly jute deserves to be called the “fibre of the future.” Its entry into the current fashion scenario has brought in a sense of ethnicity, apart from its rustic glamour.
Link for the above article is given below :
Over the years, the jute fabric has undergone a metamorphosis and how. High quality yarns of exotic colours and designs are spun at jute factories and handloom sectors world over and the finished product has come in for much demand over the past few years. The innovative designs and dyes take the credit of making jute a fashion statement. The fabric has come a long way and now finds form in handicrafts, footwear, accessories, textile, bags and apparel. It is also eco-friendly unlike most other materials. Jute fibres can be used alone or blended with other types of fibres to give it the required shine. And very fine threads of jute can be separated to make imitation silk. Jute is also widely used to weave carpets, make furnishing fabrics and even fashion footwear.
Unlike most other materials, jute is inexpensive and it is easy to replace and maintain. Jute saris and salwars are also gaining an increased preference. “Trendy , easy to replace and maintain, I prefer jute to leather, and personally consider it a step towards a green environment,” says Rajeshwari, student.
Jute bags are stylish and affordable, and lets you add the desi element to your clothes. They come in a wide splash of colours with ethnic prints. “Jute bags and accessories are more preferred than jute fabrics,” says designer Julie Verghese.
With perfection in style and colour, handicrafts made of the golden fibre adds style to the home decor.
Pavithra, a homemaker comments, “Handicrafts made of jute lend an essence of both, the modern and ethnic, to any interior, be it homes, offices, hotels or resorts.”
The current generation has come to realise and mould the old fibre into various forms, making it usable by most people.
Undoubtedly jute deserves to be called the “fibre of the future.” Its entry into the current fashion scenario has brought in a sense of ethnicity, apart from its rustic glamour.
Link for the above article is given below :
Published in The Hindu on 10th Jan’2007
"Jute exports will touch Rs. 5,000 cr. by 2010"
Union Minister of State for Textiles E.V.K.S.Elangovan inaugurates week-long jute fair in Chennai
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· Exports in the sector during 2005-2006 was to tune of Rs.1,186 crore
· Nod for Jute Technology Mission
CLOSE LOOK: Union Minister of State for Textiles E.V. K. S. Elangovan at the Jute Fair in Chennai on Tuesday. — Photo: K. V. Srinivasan
CHENNAI: Union Minister of State for Textiles E.V.K.S.Elangovan on Tuesday hoped that jute goods export would touch Rs. 5,000 crore by 2010, as projected by the National Jute Policy a couple of years ago.
After inaugurating a week-long jute fair here, he told reporters that jute products largely produced by artisans, weavers and converters all over the country constituted 22 per cent of the total jute goods export.
Exports in the sector during 2005-2006 was to the tune of Rs.1,186 crore.
The fresh impetus given to the industry by the National Common Minimum Programme would benefit 2.66 lakh workers directly employed by the jute industry and four million farmer families.
Modernisation efforts
Efforts made by the Centre to modernise the industry through the Technology Upgradation Fund (TUF) and the Jute Manufacturers Development Council had evoked encouraging response from entrepreneurs. The Government had approved the Jute Technology Mission with an outlay of Rs.355.55 crore.
Its initiatives would help transform the sector into a vibrant and dynamic one that could face the challenges in the international arena.
Of late, a lot of diversification activities were taking place from West Bengal to other States, more particularly handloom concentrated areas in Tamil Nadu, Delhi
Mr. Elangovan said the Jute Fair, with 35 stalls comprising an exhibition-cum-sale of jute lifestyle products, was being organised by the Jute Manufacturers Development Council.
Three stalls belonged to women self-help groups and three to non-governmental outfits. An exporter and a jute mill had put up one stall each.
Efforts should be made to hold more such exhibitions at different locations to educate the people on the use of eco-friendly products, he said.
Replying to a query, he said export of textile goods would touch $10 billion by 2010. The Government would favourably consider the demand for extending the TUF scheme for the benefit of the textile industry.
Dyeing units
He hoped that the problem relating to the discharge of effluents by Tirupur's dyeing units would be resolved amicably. Experts felt that a viable solution lay in releasing the treated effluent to sea through a pipeline.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government had set an example to other State Governments in extending cooperation to the Centre in implementing welfare schemes for the handloom weavers, Mr.Elangovan said. It had taken up the responsibility of remitting the weaver's share of Rs.200 towards the insurance premium under a scheme implemented by the Centre.
Published in Business Line on 8th Nov’06
Centre keen on marketing of diversified jute products
Value-added products hold 25 pc of total exports
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MR E.V.K.S. ELANGOVAN
The Union Minister of State for Textiles, Mr E.V.K.S. Elangovan, on Tuesday said the Union Government wanted to increase the overall jute products export and also the ratio of the diversified jute products (DJP) in the export basket.
He also called upon consumers to widen the use of jute-based product application that is environment-friendly and supported rural women employment.
The Government, under the National Jute Policy introduced last year, has planned to raise jute products exports from Rs 1,200 crore (during 2005-06), which includes the Rs 313-crore DJP exports, to Rs 5,000 crore over the next three years. In the total jute products export basket, the share of the DJPs now constitutes 25 per cent.
Mr Elangovan was speaking after inaugurating a weeklong `Life-style DJP fair' in the city sponsored by the Jute Manufacturers Development Council (JMDC) and the National Centre for Jute Diversification (NCJD). The country processes about 16 lakh tonne of jute products annually worth about Rs 6,000 crore out of 1.10 lakh bales or 19 lakh tonne of raw jute produced by it. Its value-added jute products or the DJPs are estimated to constitute about 8 per cent of the total jute products.
Talking to presspersons, Mr Elangovan said that his Ministry, in deference to the demands of the textile industry, has recommended strongly the extension of the technology upgradation fund scheme (TUFS) beyond March 2007. "In all probability, his Ministry's demand for the TUFS tenure extension would be conceded by the Centre," he hoped.
Participating at the inaugural function, the JMDC Secretary, Mr Atri Bhattacharya, said the promotion of DJPs was being sought through the creation of market linkage by holding exhibitions, which also help to get consumer feedback on the products sold in the market.
Emerging areas
He said that with regard to bulk jute products exports, huge investments were needed to find out new areas of product applications. Foodgrade packaging, geo-textiles and automotive product accessories are some of the emerging areas that offer huge market potential.
The pilot projects, being implemented in five States where rural roads under the Prime Minister's Rural Road Development Scheme are being developed using jute on a stretch of 10-km each, once completed, would show the future potential of application of jute in geo-textiles, Mr Bhattacharya said. While the project was completed in West Bengal, it is under way in the other States, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar , Orissa.
Published in Business Standard on 5th Jan'09
Jute SMEs stay afloat on IT firms' orders
BS Reporter / Chennai/ Bangalore January 05, 2009, 0:39 IST
To cut costs and promote eco-friendly goods, IT companies have begun to buy substantial quantities of jute-based value-added products. The companies are saving 10 per cent over plastic and other non-eco-friendly products and orders to jute SMEs ranges from Rs 5 crore to Rs 8 crore.
Speaking to reporters at the ‘Jute buyer-seller meet organised by the Jute Manufacturers Development Council (JMDC), T Ayyappan, market promotion officer, said, “Nearly, 40 to 50 Bangalore-based IT companies are buying file folders and complimentary products made of jute. By buying jute products, these companies are finding savings to the tune of 10 per cent over plastic and other non-eco-friendly products.”
“Companies like Wipro, IBM and others have already discarded plastic file folders while handing over training materials to new recruits and trainees. IT companies preference to jute based products has become a lifeline for many jute small and medium enterprise (SMEs),” he added.
Value added jute product exports from India stood at Rs 1200 crore in the year 2007-08. This year JMDC is targeting 20 to 25 per cent higher exports. Kerala and West Bengal are the major exporting states.
“Kerala specialises in diversified products where as West Bengal has specialisation in making bags, both the state account for 70 per cent of the exports,” said Ayyappan.
Bangalore, home to major IT companies and having the biggest domestic market for jute products, has emerged as jute value-added design centre in the country. This has led to mushrooming of SMEs specialising in designs, offering better range and finishes than most other states. Value added jute products emerging from Bangalore are carry bags, dhurries, handicrafts, wall decorative, gifts, novelties, home textiles made-ups.
“IT company orders to jute SMEs is to the tune of Rs 5 crore to Rs 8 crore,” said Ayyappan.
Staff Reporter| Initiative to popularise them among self-help group members |
Useful inputs: Participants at a workshop on jute products held in Dindigul on Tuesday.
DINDIGUL: Jute products, particularly bags of all sizes, would be a viable alternative to plastic bags and eco-friendly too. Value addition to jute would get better income for small entrepreneurs. National Centre for Jute Diversification would extend all assistance such as basic training, manufacturing methods, and marketing end-products in domestic and international markets.
These were highlighted at a one-day workshop and exhibition of jute products here on Tuesday. The main aim of the workshop was to popularise jute products making among women members of self- help groups to diversify their activities and enhance their income, said T. Ayyappan, Marketing Promotion Officer, Jute Manufacturers Development Council.
Widely used
Earlier, jute was used to manufacture gunny bags only. Now, it was being used to make decorative materials, fancy products, jute-reinforced composites for making packaged boxes for tea, geo- textiles to control soil erosion and soil stabilisation, grass mats, nursery bags and tissue papers and boards. Jute geo-textiles was used in construction of roads and embankments, and horticulture applications.
About 52 per cent of 1.60 million kgs of jute produced in the country a year has been used for making gunny bags and 25 per cent for hessian. Only six to nine per cent have been used for jute- diversified products.
Raw jute fibre was available around Rs.8 and Rs.10 a kg. After value addition, price realisation would be around Rs.80 to Rs.100 a kg. Cost effective and an attractive jute material, Leno fabric, an alternative to polythene bags, had a good demand in domestic and international markets.
The Jute Service Centre in Coimbatore would offer technical support, marketing advice and design promotion. Training on jute spinning, weaving of carpets, furnishing fabrics, wall hangings, jute fibre bleaching, dyeing and finishing, manufacture of micro-knotted and utility products, fancy bags, low-cost bags, decorated articles and paper products would also be given. The raw materials bank in Coimbatore would supply raw materials to trained personnel to make jute products, he added.
In his address, District Revenue Officer K. Chandrasekaran appealed to the people to use jute bags to protect the environment.
Published in The HIndu on 29th May 2008
Chennai 
“More than a place for buying, selling”
“More than a place for buying, selling”
| 5-day Metro Plus Lifestyle show from June 5 |
(From left) C Haridas of Voltas, Shubhodip Pal of HP Compaq, V L Narayan of Samsung India Limited, V. Kalidas, Vice President (Advertisement) of The Hindu, T Ayyappan, of JMDC, Pankaj Prabhakar of Maruti Udyog Limited and Shankar Ramachandran of Moser Baer at the media conference for Lifestyle Show in Chennai on Wednesay.
CHENNAI: It’s not an exhibition. It’s not a trade fair. In fact, it’s rather difficult to slot. However, since it draws about 80,000 visitors a year, no one’s really worrying too much about definitions.
The Metro Plus Lifestyle show, which will be on at the Chennai Trade Centre between June 5 and 9, is rapidly developing into a platform for the country’s largest companies to launch their new products.
“It’s more than just a place for buying and selling,” says V. Kalidas, Vice President (Advertisement) of The Hindu, adding that the show brings together the newspaper’s readers and manufacturers. “Visitors come in and do much more than window shopping. They interact with the manufacturer.”
At a press conference at Taj Coromandel, representatives from various companies that are participating in the festival spoke about what customers can expect from this edition.
Launches
A lot of launches can be expected to start with. V. L Narayan from Samsung, which is the main sponsor of the event, said that they will be using the festival to showcase their new crystal design LCD TVs, among other products. There will also be individualised notebooks from HP Compaq, in bright colours, patterns and their signature imprint finish, and Moser Baer with a range of new products for your computer.
Maruti Udyog Limited will unveil a new car and Voltas has a new range of air conditioners, water coolers and wine coolers. And helping the environment, there will be JMDC, which has been tirelessly popularising jute and making it trendy.
The show is in its 5th year and has grown vastly since it began in Chennai in 2004. It grew to three cities in 2005, and nine cities in 2007.
This edition goes international, bringing together Thai jewellery, textiles and handicrafts, along with representatives from Pakistan and Kenya.
There will be a total of 285 stalls, covering an air conditioned area of 12,000 sq metres. The communication partner is Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. Other partners include K Lite, Aquafina, Lakme beauty Salon and League Club. Planet Yumm will be setting up a food court at the show. NDTV 24x7 is the Channel Partner, while Radio One 94.3 FM is the Radio partner. Taj Coromandel is the hospitality partner.
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| Shri.S.S.Jawahar, Collector Madurai, at Jute fair |
Jute raw material depot for Madurai mooted| “It is the answer to problems posed by plastic” |
State Government bodies assure support
Official call for coordinated efforts by stakeholders
MADURAI: Collector S.S. Jawahar, on Thursday, proposed the establishment of a jute raw material depot here which could buy the requisite materials from Kolkata. The facility would encourage women self-help groups in the sector, as it could provide an assured raw material supply, he said.
He was addressing an ‘awareness workshop-cum-display on jute diversified products’ organised here by National Centre for Jute Diversification (NCJD), Kolkata, which comes under Union Textiles Ministry, and Jute Service Centre of Sri Jothi Kanniga Universal Services Trust, a Coimbatore-based organisation.
The State Government bodies of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (Mahalir Thittam) and Small Industries Product Promotion Organisation (SIPPO) also extended their cooperation for the workshop.
Mr. Jawahar said that Jute Manufacturers’ Development Council (JMDC) and the SIPPO could become stakeholders in the project along with the DRDA.
Project viable
The Project Officer of DRDA, Ansul Mishra, termed the project as viable and said that a coordinated effort would be undertaken to see that the proposal fructified.
The Managing Director of SIPPO, S. Rajagopal, said that his organisation was ready to take it up. “In fact, as the Collector was outlining his proposal, the Market Promotion Officer of JMDC, T. Ayyappan (who was also present), spoke to NCJD in this regard and obtained permission.”
Speaking about SIPPO’s efforts in the jute sector, he said that it focussed on product promotion and marketing by conducting fairs, workshops and expos. Mr. Ayyappan said that environment-friendly jute could be the answer to problems posed by plastic.
The Project Officer of Mahalir Thittam, A. Palanisamy, said that about 10,000 women self-help groups were functioning in the district with over one lakh members.
Published in The Hindu on 4th Nov'2008
Mangalore
Minister inaugurates jute fair in Mangalore
Minister inaugurates jute fair in Mangalore
ALL PRAISE: District in-charge Minister Krishna Palemar (right) admiring a bag on show at the Jute fair in Mangalore on Monday. T. Ayyappan of Jute Manufacturers’ Development Council is at left.
MANGALORE: Krishna Palemar, the district in-charge and Minister for Ports and Inland Water Transport, inaugurated the jute fair at Hotel Woodlands here on Monday. The fair has been organised jointly by the Union Government’s Jute Manufacturers’ Development Council (JMDC) and the National Centre for Jute Diversification (NCJD). The fair aims at showcasing jute products produced by various artisans from across the country.
The jute products on display include carpets, fancy bags, handicrafts, wall-hangings and textiles. The organisers, NCJD and JMDC, intend creating a public awareness about the wide ranging products made from the natural fibres and attract new entrepreneurs to jute trading and jute processing industry, a press release said. The fair will be on till November 9.
Published in The Hindu on 3rd Jan'09
Bangalore
Smaller players in jute sector find the going tough
BANGALORE: Dominated by corporates, smaller players in the jute business are finding it difficult to sustain themselves without adequate publicity, D. Muralidhar, president of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said at the inauguration of the Jute Buyer-Seller Meet here on Friday. “We have set a growth target of 20 to 25 per cent for the jute industry,” he said, “and more publicity for jute products will enable smaller business firms to patronise jute products.”
The jute industry exports touched Rs. 1,200 crore for 2007-08.
T. Ayyappan, Market Promotion Officer, Jute Manufacturers Development Council, said that Kerala led the diversified jute products exports market by generating revenue worth over Rs. 200 crore. “Karnataka comes second as the jute industry here has some of the best designers, better range and finish, and better quality than most other States,” he said.
The north-eastern States fared better in the traditional products market, he added.
CHENNAI, Jan 9: A proposal for building a model weavers village with each household having a loom shed attached to it has been sent to the Union Government for grant, Tamil Nadu Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi secretary A Elangovan said today. Around 30 such houses are to be built at Ankaputhur near here, where various jute products like sarees and clothes are being woven, Elangovan told newsmen here. Earlier, Elangovan inaugurated a week-long Jute Fair, with 35 stalls from all over the country, exhibiting various jute products. The fair, organised by Jute Manufacturers Development Council (JMDC), focuses on low cost jute bags. JMDC Marketing Officer T Ayyappan, said an awarenes rally involving students would also be organised on January 12 about the use of eco-friendly products, like jute and the merits of using such bi0-degradable materials. The Anakaputhur Weavers' Cooperative Society, also produces banana fibre mixed clothes. (PTI)
These Published in News Today on 24th May'2008
NT Bureau Chennai, May 24: The Hindu MetroPlus Lifestyle show, an annual consumer exhibition, organised by The Hindu, is being held for the fourth consecutive year at Chennai Trade Centre from 31 May to 4 June. Speaking to reporters here yesterday, Supratik Datta of The Hindu said that the show had emerged as one of the biggest fairs in South India. He said this year the exhibition would also be introduced in Vishakapattnam and Delhi. The exhibition in Chennai will have a total of 250 stalls. The show would also have exclusive pavilions for international participants from Thailand, Pakistan, Egypt and Kenya. Business concerns in the automobile, furniture, furnishing, arts and handicrafts, interior decor, electronics, information technology products, FMCG, luxury products, textiles, jewellery industry, etc. An exclusive multi-cuisine food court has been set up by Planet Yumm and Vivekananda Coffee at the venue. K Logendra Kumar from Samsung, Pankaj Chandak of General Motors, P Usha, brand manager of Classic Polo, T .Ayyappan, Market Promotion officer of Jute Manufacturers Development Council, Sarad Chokhani from Home and Beyond, Suresh Jain, CEO of Kesar Gift Mart, and Kailash Savant, CEO of Ahsan Perfumes, also spoke on the occasion.
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