Jute crisis grips West Bengal: Political parties strategize amidst mill closures and farmer hardships

While traveling through West Bengal's Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Cooch Behar, Hooghly, Malda and South Dinajpur districts, one can see piles of tan-colored jute sticks in front of houses. Jute here is as essential as coconut is to Malayalis. Three-fourths of the country's jute production comes from Bengal's 5.15 lakh hectares. Major centers include Titagarh, Jagatdut, Budge Budge, Howrah and Bhadreshwar.

However, reduced production in mills and weather-related problems like rains and cyclones have plunged jute cultivation into crisis. Plastic bags have also been affected. There was a shortfall of 3.5 lakh bales (of jute) in the sack orders. Consequently, mills have reduced production by 20-25 percent and many have shut down. With the central government reducing procurement, middlemen are forced to sell at lower prices. Mills typically do not purchase jute directly from farmers. As a result, 40 lakh farmers and 2.5 lakh mill workers are facing a crisis. Many are now switching to maize farming or seeking jobs in states like Kerala. Despite the presence of central and state schemes, the situation for workers has not improved. Political parties like Congress and CPM exploit this issue during elections.

Arjun Singh, BJP candidate from Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas, attributes the crisis to buying raw jute at low prices from Bangladesh and using old sacks, which affects the mills. He promises farmers a solution if the BJP returns to power. The BJP hopes to retain its support base among mill workers having won the jute mill-dominated Barrackpore and Hooghly Lok Sabha constituencies in 2019 and securing 49 of the region's 130-plus assembly seats in the 2021 elections.

Meanwhile, the jute-growing areas are considered Trinamool's vote bank. There's fear within the party that the BJP might attract Hindu votes due to the jute crisis and its stance on Muslim-related issues. Murshidabad's sitting MP, Abu Tahir Khan claims that the Trinamool government has introduced a new wage agreement and crop insurance while accusing the central government of neglecting the jute sector.

Jute cultivation

When the jute plant reaches seven feet in height after four months, it is harvested, bundled and soaked in water for 20 days. The jute fibers are extracted by rotting the outer skin. These fibers are then sent to mills and spun into yarn. The peeled stalks find uses in thatching, fencing etc. while the leaves are fed to calves as straw.