Prasad said, "This linkage will make technological benefits available to the growers. Moreover, it will also help us to produce better quality and higher quantity of fibre needed to manufacture value-added products of jute."He suggested that the industry should go beyond creating a demand for its products and provide the farmers with quality agricultural research, better farm management and better post-harvesting techniques.

Citing the example of sugar industry, he asked the jute mill owners to identify their catchment areas to ensure a regular supply of jute.He was critical of certain industry processes that are not environment friendly, especially retting or the process of separating the fibre from thestem by soaking the plant in water-filled ditches. He said the traditional retting process "is certainly polluting" but added that remedial measures in this regard have already been started.

Modern methods of retting will get a major focus in the second phase of the UNDP jute programme, after the first five-year programme ends this May. The UNDP has already assured to support the second phase but it is waiting for the formal clearance and participation from the Union government.The second phase will also concentrate on the commercialisation of the diversified jute products developed in the first phase and development of high yield variety of jute seeds.

Prasad said the Jute Entrepreneur Assistance Scheme, floated in 1997 to encourage small entrepreneurs to develop new jute products, will now be available to existing jute mills for energy management. "In a study conducted in some jute mills it was found a change in the boilers of most of the mills were necessary and the mill owners were asking for somefinancial help," Prasad said. "So we expanded the scheme and now mill owners can avail themselves of it for adopting energy management processes and using non-conventional energy resources."

He urged the industry to adopt total quality management and do away with conventional methods to improve productivity.

Earlier, in his welcome address G M Singhvi, chairman of the IJIRA and the Indian Jute Mills' Association, highlighted IJIRA's various research and development (R&D) activities which include productivity studies and identification of major areas of cost reduction.

Singhvi made passing references to process improvement systems, development of new products such as jute re-inforced composites, specialised jute geo-textiles, diversified and more eco-friendly jute products.

Jute Commisioner Bimal Pande said that R&D efforts should not be undertaken merely for its sake but for commercial purposes. He also highlighted the efforts of the textile research association (TRAs) in this regard.

IJIRAchairman sees sunrise for jute
The punster in G M Singhvi knows no bounds. He had taken a dig at Indal chairman S M Datta recently when the veteran professional manager had remarked that the jute industry is being kept alive on `artificial respiration'. "Mr Datta's knowledge on this subject needs to be updated," Singhvi had retorted.

He was in the same effervescent mood today when he said that all those who see jute as a `sunset industry' should sit up and rethink."The sun is rising again particularly in the realm of deeper appreciation of ecological and environmental concerns all over the world and India can not be behind in this regard as well.

We have a great future but we have to rise to the occasion and work for it," Singhvi said.