Kolkata, 19 December (H.S.): The jute mill owners' association has urged the central government to immediately ban the export of jute seeds to Bangladesh and regulate the import of goods made from the golden fiber. This demand comes in the wake of a deepening crisis in the domestic industry due to restrictions imposed by the neighboring country on the export of raw jute.

The Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) stated in a letter to Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday that Bangladesh's unilateral decision to ban the export of raw jute since September 8 has led to a severe shortage of raw materials in India, resulting in a sharp increase in prices in the domestic market.

The association warned that the combined effect of the raw material shortage and rising prices is causing severe financial strain on Indian jute mills. This situation threatens the sustainability of the jute industry and the livelihoods of millions of workers employed in the sector.

The IJMA expressed concern over the imbalance in bilateral trade, noting that while Bangladesh has stopped supplying raw jute to Indian mills, the neighboring country remains almost entirely dependent on India for high-yielding varieties of jute seeds.

This unbalanced trade situation has become a serious challenge for the Indian jute industry, and the association has appealed to the government for swift action to address the issue.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey