At the outset, I would like to state that High Commissioner has conveyed his apologies for not being personally present at this Conference owing to unforeseen developments requiring his personal presence elsewhere. I am delivering remarks on his behalf.

Mr. Chairman,
Hon’ble Minister for Textiles and Jute, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Hon’ble Deputy Minister, Government of Malaysia
Distinguished Speakers on the Dias 
Distinguished Participants

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am happy to participate in this conference and I am grateful to the International Jute Study Group (IJSG) for giving me this opportunity. It is significant that the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2009 as the International Year of Natural Fibers in recognition of the role played by natural fibers in environment protection as well as sustainable development. I believe that with determined efforts, range of technologies and product development programmes and activities of the International Jute Study Group the Jute, Kenaf and allied fibers sector would become engine of growth for producing as well as the consuming countries. 

The jute sector occupies an important place in the national economy of India in general and eastern part of South Asia in particular. The jute industry in India provides direct employment to more than 370 thousand workers in the organized sector and supports livelihood of around 4.0 million farming families. 

India is the major producer of both raw jute and jute products and produced about 1.8 million tones of jute, kenaf and allied fibers in 2006-07 which is about two-third of world production. There are 77 composite jute mills in India with about 46000 looms. 

Jute is an important cash crop and source of livelihood of millions of people. Government of India attaches a great deal of importance to the development of this sector. Government of India announced a National Jute Policy in 2005. The policy aims at reviving the jute economy through measures which include research and development, technology upgradation, creation of infrastructure for storage and marketing of jute, and product and market development activities for jute and jute diversified products. The policy of compulsory food grains and sugar packaging in jute bags has ensured a market segment for jute products. The Jute Technology Mission is another component of the National Jute Policy and the vehicle for implementing many programmes for jute sector. 

The Jute Technology Mission has four Mini-Missions-

Mini Mission-I aims at strengthening agricultural research and technology upgradation. 
Mini Mission-II aims at developing extension of raw jute and transfer of improved technology.
Mini Mission-III focuses on improving yield and quality of jute fiber and to develop efficient market linkages for raw jute. 
Mini Mission-IV deals with market promotional activities, modernization, and technological upgradation in partnership with private sector, and development of human resources of the jute industry.

Government of India has allocated US$ 40 million to implement the Jute Technology Mission (JTM). This Mission has begun to show results with entry of new entrepreneurs in the jute diversified products sector. India is also considering establishment of Jute Industrial Parks in few selected places in India. 

Exports of jute goods from India are approx. 14-15% of its annual output and food grade jute clothes and bags are all value-added items. Though export of jute based goods in value term has shown rising trend, it is not large enough to recompense the declining world market size each year in respect of traditional jute products viz. sackings and hessian. A notable fact is that more than 80% of jute goods produced in India is consumed by the domestic market. Jute sacks alone constitute over 60% of production of jute goods and it is again mostly used within India.

Government of India is continuing to ensure remunerative prices to farmers through Minimum Support Price (MSP) under National Agricultural Policy (2000). This encourages the farmers to cultivate jute which in turn ensures adequate supply of raw material to the jute mills.

Globally, governments and users have become more concerned with environmental degradation caused by use of synthetic fibers; there is a shift towards using natural fibers owing to its benefits in general and recognition of its role in protecting land and other natural resources from pollution. It is the responsibility of everyone to make all out efforts and create further awareness about the advantages of natural fibers. Jute fiber fits this niche owing to its eco-friendliness, renewability and versatility open to various innovative uses.

Government of India supports IJSG in carrying out its activities and implementing various projects to develop technologies and new jute products.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to thank the organizers once again for their invitation to attend and address this eminent gathering. We wish the Conference every success.

Thank you,