2000 tonnes jute seeds yield planned

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=114367

2000 tonnes jute seeds yield planned
Bss, Dhaka

The government is planning to produce 2000 tonnes of quality jute seeds from the next year to largely meet the present 4000 tonnes of market demand.

The Integrated HYV Jute and Jute Production Programme under the Ministry of Jute and Textile has already sent a project proposal to the Ministry of Finance and Planning for fund allocation in this regard, Project Director M Abdul Khaleque told the news agency yesterday.

Presently, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) is supplying 1000 to 1200 tonnes of seeds to market, while the rest of the demand is met by importing substandard seeds from the neighbouring country, he said.

“The high yield of jute largely depends on quality seeds,” he said, adding “this is the time to look for increasing jute production as the prices of raw jute and diversified jute products are experiencing an upswing the international market,” he said.

Under the new initiative, the ministry intends to produce 2000 tonnes of quality seeds each year for the next five years, starting from next fiscal 2010-11, he said.

For the current fiscal, the project has involved 100 farmers at 100 upazilas across the country to produce 400 tonnes of quality seeds.

“We are planning to select more farmers in more upazilas to produce 2000 tonnes of seeds per year from the next fiscal,” he said.

After the production, the growers would sell the seeds to other farmers in their respective areas. “If we could successfully implement the project, the country can be self-sufficient with quality jute seeds,” he said.

Concerned officials of BADC said Bangladesh has the potentiality to turn itself into a jute seed exporting country from an importer.

Former executive director of Jute Diversification Promotion Centre Dr ABM Abdullah said it’s a very positive step taken by the textiles and jute ministry for fulfilling the demands of quality jute seeds locally.

“Along with the quality seeds, proper water management for retting the jute needs to be ensured as the farmers could produce quality jute and get fair prices of their products,” he said.

Tesco outsourcing jute bags from Bangladesh

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=62516

Tesco outsourcing jute bags from Bangladesh
Star Business Report

Global retailer giant Tesco has started outsourcing jute-made shopping bags from Bangladesh as part of its move to promote environment-friendly products worldwide, said an official of a local company yesterday.

“It’s good that global retailers like Tesco are using jute-made shopping bags to meet the consumer demand for environment-friendly and socially responsible products,” said Mohammed Mahbubur Rahman Patwari, director of Sonali Aansh Group that participated in the German Trade Show 2008, which ended yesterday.

Sonali Aansh Group is also engaged in exporting high-fashion jute-made ladies bags, jute fabrics and espadrille, a casual flat or high-heel fashion sandal made of jute or cotton.

Patwari said Sonali Aansh has got orders from Tesco after it met compliance requirements.

“It’s an achievement for us. The retailer is now using our jute bags at its stores in Poland, Japan and Korea,” he said, adding that the company has exported over 7 lakh pieces of jute bags to a number of buyers including Tesco.

Patwari found prospects of jute products such as shopping bags, and said global retailers are pushing consumers into using these bags in many countries as some governments discourage use of plastic bags to protect environment.

However exports of jute goods witnessed a downturn trend since fiscal year 2005-06. In fiscal 2007-08, exports of such items dropped marginally by 0.77 percent to $318.3 million from $320.8 million a year ago.

In July-August period of the current fiscal year, the exports rebounded and registered a 2. 87 percent growth to reach $54.50 million from $52.98 million during the same months a year ago.

“It’s a new concept. But I think the demand for environment-friendly products will rise gradually,” said Patwari of Sonali Aansh, which attracted hundreds of visitors to the first ever German trade show in Dhaka.

The three-day fair, which brought nearly 70 companies from various sectors including pharmaceuticals, chemical, automobiles, machinery, leather goods and footwear, shipbuilding, and garments, also raised hopes among the organisers about better trade relations with Germany.

Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI), with the support of Federal Republic of Germany and gtz organised the show.

President of BGCCI Saiful Islam said they have received some trade-related inquiries during the show. “We hope to get more queries in the coming days,” he said, expecting that such event would help enhance trade relation between the two nations.