Approval for Jute Packaging Standards for Food Grains and Sugar, Learn What Has Changed Now

The decision of the Central Cabinet will bring relief to four lakh workers employed in jute mills and auxiliary units. The jute season spans from July 1st to June 30th.

On Friday, the Central Cabinet approved mandatory packaging standards for the jute year 2023-24. Under the new provisions, it is now necessary to pack 100% food grains and 20% sugar in jute bags. According to reports, this decision not only provides relief to approximately four lakh workers in jute mills and auxiliary units but also supports around 40 lakh farming families. The jute year runs from July 1st to June 30th, and during this period, the NSWS portal has added the P-2 form for packaging and procurement of new jute sacks.

Protection of Domestic Production Interests According to official statements, this proposal aims to safeguard the interests of the domestic production sector for raw jute and jute packaging material. The decision taken during the meeting of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Cabinet requires packaging 100% food grains and 20% sugar in jute bags for the approved packaging standards for the jute year 2023-24.

Environmental Conservation Benefits Jute packaging materials constitute approximately 65% of the consumption of raw jute produced in the country. The decision to reserve jute packaging material will contribute to environmental conservation. The central government annually purchases jute bags worth around Rs 12,000 crore for packing food grains. Approximately forty million farming families, three lakh mill workers, and one lakh traders are intricately involved in the cultivation and processing of raw jute, also known as Pat or Patta. Anti-dumping duties on imported jute from Bangladesh and Nepal are in place for the next five years, as per reports.