Jute production

The cultivation and production of jute is new to me, and very different from other crops.  The plant is grown in standing water and, after harvesting, the stalks are left to soak for some time.  The leaves are discarded.

Harvesting and soaking jute stems

Once the stalks are pliable they are beaten with a wooden paddle at about four fifths of the way along the stem, to break it.  The shorter and longer lengths of the hard outer stem are separated from the supple inner fibre.

Gathering up inner jute fibre: outer stems are floating on the right

The outer husks are dried and used domestically for fencing and thatching.

Jute husks drying

The fibre is dried wherever possible – hanks are draped over walls, bamboo poles and bushes...

Jute fibre drying outside a house

...once the fibre is dried it is bundled up, transported...

...and sold as a cash crop.

Jute for sale in Bhagalpur

Good jute is soaked in running fresh water (standing water can stain or contaminate the fibre), has been thoroughly separated from the outer husk and well dried.  Farmers sell good quality jute for around Rs 3,100 (USD 62)/quintile; poorer quality jute is around Rs 2,800 (USD 56)/quintile.