New Delhi, March 18 Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Textiles, reviewed the status of jute cultivation and preparedness for the ongoing crop season on Wednesday, emphasizing the need to ensure the timely availability of high-yielding varieties of certified jute seeds and enhance coordination among central and state agencies.
Rao highlighted the continued implementation of the Jute-ICARE (Improved Cultivation and Advanced Retting Exercise) Scheme, which supports farmers through improved seed distribution, mechanization tools, and field-level demonstrations, the Ministry of Textiles said in a statement.
On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation (NEHHDC), the National Jute Board (NJB), and the Jute Corporation of India (JCI) to strengthen backward and forward linkages of jute cultivation in the North Eastern Region (NER).
The MoU aims to facilitate improved market access and value realization for jute farmers, strengthen procurement and aggregation systems, and promote processing and value addition in the region.
Senior officials from major jute-growing states, including Assam, Odisha, Nagaland, and Meghalaya, attended the meeting. However, representatives from the states of West Bengal and Bihar did not attend the State Agriculture Conference.
Representatives from the Directorate of Jute Development (DoJD), the National Jute Board (NJB), the Jute Corporation of India (JCI), the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO, etc. were also present.
The Textile Ministry advised the participating states to closely monitor field-level progress and take proactive measures to address operational challenges during the season.
The meeting reviewed key aspects, including current sowing progress and area coverage, availability and distribution of certified jute seeds, implementation status of improved cultivation practices and fibre quality improvement, among others.
During the meeting, NRSC and ISRO presented the Jute Crop Information System, showcasing the use of geospatial technologies for crop monitoring, acreage estimation, and decision support, aimed at strengthening evidence-based planning and monitoring.