MP Ritabrata seeks urgent Centre intervention for the deepening jute crisis
The Statesman | 2 January 2026
Singh, warning that the raw jute sector is sliding into a serious economic and social crisis, with the worst impact being felt in West Bengal’s jute-growing and jute-mill regions.
West Bengal once had a thriving jute industry, with the state producing one of the finest jute qualities.
The TMC MP has made it clear that the crisis is not sudden but the result of prolonged policy failures, most notably the absence of a credible raw jute stabilisation mechanism and irregular, unpredictable demand planning under production-control-cum-supply-order (PCSO)/GBT orders.
The consequences are now evident across the entire value chain. Jute mills are curtailing shifts or suspending operations due to unaffordable raw material prices and acute working-capital stress. Thousands of jute workers are losing employment days and wages, deepening distress in industrial belts. At the same time, jute farmers remain exposed to uncertainty, with no assurance that the current high prices are policy-backed or sustainable. Even the government’s foodgrain procurement system is facing packaging stress, raising concerns over dilution norms and alternative materials.
Seeking immediate corrective action, MP has urged the ministry of textiles to address three critical areas:
1. Announce a raw jute stabilisation / buffer framework: Establish clear reserve norms, transparent release triggers, and time-bound stock rotation linked to MSP procurement.
2. Ensure predictable and evenly distributed PCSO demand — Finalise prices on time and avoid compressed ordering cycles that destabilise both farmers and mills.
3. Strengthen farmer-facing MSP operations — Improve procurement speed and reach, enhance grading support, and ensure assured payment timelines.
Emphasising that jute is not merely an industry but a strategic national packaging backbone supporting millions of livelihoods, Ritabrata warned that continued policy inertia could cause long-term structural damage to the sector. He has sought the personal intervention of the union minister and early action to restore stability, confidence, and fairness in the raw jute market.
The MP’s letter states: Jute mills are curtailing shifts or suspending operations due to unaffordable raw material costs and acute working capital stress. Thousands of jute workers are losing employment days and wages, leading to growing distress in industrial belts. Jute farmers remain exposed to uncertainty, with no assurance that current high prices are the result of sustainable policy support rather than temporary scarcity and the government’s own foodgrain procurement system faces packaging stress, reviving concerns regarding dilution and alternatives.”