Textile Ministry to Provide Certified Seeds to Jute Farmers: Smriti Irani

· MoU Signed between NSC and JCI for Distribution of Seeds

The Ministry of Textiles has said that it will make available certified jute seeds to farmers through the Jute Corporation of India (JCI) to improve production and productivity of raw jute in the country.

The National Seeds Corporation (NSC), a CPSE under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, would ensure delivery of the certified seeds to the JCI and an MoU was signed between the two on Wednesday for distribution of the certified seeds in 2021-22, according to an official release.

Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani and Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar witnessed the MoU signing through virtual mode, in which the CMDs of JCI and NSC were were also present.

Irani said that in addition to becoming self-reliant in requirement of jute for the domestic market, the next target was to strengthen the export potential of the country in jute and its products. There was immense potential for increasing the use of jute in lining of water bodies, road building and construction of structures to contain landslides in hilly areas, she said.

Tomar stressed on the importance of improving the production and quality of raw jute in the country, and said that providing value addition to the produce will contribute in achieving the Prime Minister’s target of an ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat’.

He also highlighted the need for preparing a road map for building jute export potential within a fixed time frame.