Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approves jute packaging norms for foodgrains, sugar

New Delhi [India], December 8 (ANI): The Union Cabinet on Friday approved mandatory packaging norms for Jute Year 2023-24, under which it will be compulsory to pack 100 per cent of foodgrains and 20 per cent of sugar in jute bags, according to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
A Jute Year is from July 1 to June 30.
The Mandatory packaging norms approved for Jute Year 2023-24 provide for 100 per cent reservation of the foodgrains and 20 per cent of sugar to be compulsorily packed in jute bags.
The reservation norms in the present proposal would further protect the interest of domestic production of raw jute and jute packaging material in India, thereby, making India self-reliant in consonance with Aatmnirbhar Bharat, it said.
Reservation for packaging in jute packaging material consumed around 65 per cent of the raw jute produced in the country (in 2022-23).
By bringing into effect the provision of the JPM Act, the government is likely to provide relief to 4 lakh workers employed in jute mills and ancillary units as well as support the livelihood of around 40 lakh farm families.
"Besides, it will help protect the environment because jute is natural, bio-degradable, renewable and reusable fibre and hence fulfils all sustainability parameters," the official release said.
The jute industry occupies an important place in the national economy of India in general and Eastern Region, in particular, i.e. West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is one of the major industries in the eastern region, particularly in West Bengal.
The reservation norms under the JPM Act provide for direct employment to 4 lakh workers and 40 lakh farmers in the jute sector.
JPM Act, 1987 protects the interests of Jute farmers, workers and persons engaged in jute goods' production.
It further said that 75 per cent of the total production of the jute industry is jute sacking bags of which 85 per cent is supplied to the Food Corporation of India (FCl) and State Procurement Agencies (SPAs) and the remaining is exported or sold directly.
The government of India purchases jute sacking bags worth approximately Rs 12,000 crore every year for the packing of food grains, hence ensuring a guaranteed market for the produce of jute farmers and workers.
The average production of jute sacking bags is about 30 lakh bales (9 lakh MT) and the government is committed to ensuring complete off-take of the sacking production of the jute bags in order to protect the interest of Jute farmers, workers and persons engaged in the jute industry. (ANI)