Indian Jute Mills Association seeks ban on seed exports to Bangladesh

Kolkata: An association of millers has urged the Centre to immediately ban the export of jute seeds to Bangladesh and regulate imports of goods made from the golden fibre, citing a deepening crisis in the domestic industry in view of the neighbouring country’s restrictions on its outbound shipment of raw jute.

In a letter to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday, the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) said Bangladesh’s unilateral decision to curb raw jute exports from September 8 has triggered an acute shortage of raw material in India, leading to a sharp rise in prices in the domestic market.

The association warned that the combined impact of raw material scarcity and soaring prices has exposed Indian jute mills to serious financial stress, threatening the stability of the jute value chain and the livelihoods of lakhs of workers in the sector. Raising concerns over what it described as an uneven bilateral trade situation, the IJMA said that while Bangladesh has blocked raw jute supplies to Indian mills, the neighbouring country continues to rely almost entirely on India for high-yielding variety (HYV) jute seeds.

These seeds are used to manufacture jute goods in Bangladesh, which are then exported to India at lower prices, hurting domestic manufacturers, IJMA said. The millers’ association stated that continued exports of HYV jute seeds from India have also reduced its availability for Indian farmers and could adversely impact future domestic production.

The association stressed that jute seeds should be treated as a strategic agricultural input to protect national interests. To address the crisis, the millers have sought strict regulation of jute goods imports through licences issued by the Office of the Jute Commissioner and a complete ban on the export of jute seeds, particularly HYV ones. The association said these steps are necessary to safeguard farmers’ interests and ensure the long-term sustainability of the domestic jute industry until Bangladesh restores normal raw material exports.