India grows most of the world’s jute. Yet the crop has been quietly shrinking for a decade.
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Indian Economy · IndEco0091
Jute Cultivation in India
The world leader in the “Golden Fibre” — now shrinking
~70%
Of world jute output grown in India
~75%
Of India’s jute from West Bengal alone
A decade of decline
Production fell ~17% and cultivated area shrank ~20% in a decade. Weak demand, limited procurement, ageing mills, and farmers switching to crops like maize are driving the slide.
Must Know
- Jute is known as India’s “Golden Fibre.”
- India produces about 70% of the world’s total jute output.
- Cultivation is concentrated in three states: West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar.
- Together, these three states account for about 99% of India’s jute production.
Good to Know
- West Bengal alone grows about 75% of India’s total jute.
- Key growing districts include Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, and Cooch Behar.
- The Ganga Delta offers ideal conditions: humid climate and fertile alluvial soil.
- Jute needs a humid tropical to warm subtropical climate, with about 500 mm of well-distributed rainfall.
- Its ideal temperature range is 24°C to 37°C, with 34°C considered optimal.
Test Yourself
Great to Know
- India’s jute production has fallen sharply over the last decade.
- Output dropped from 116.90 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to 96.92 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, a fall of about 17%.
- The area under jute cultivation shrank too, from 8.4 lakh hectares in 2013-14 to 6.7 lakh hectares in 2021-22.
- Several factors are driving this decline: weak market demand, limited government procurement, and ageing jute mills.
- Many farmers have also shifted to alternative crops, such as maize, for better returns.
Current Affairs
- India’s contingent will showcase sustainable jute apparel at the Commonwealth Games 2026, spotlighting jute as an eco-friendly textile fibre on an international stage. (Source: PIB)
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