Jute

The golden fiber of Bengal, spun into sacks, twine and burlap.

Overview

Jute is a long, soft bast fiber grown mainly in the Ganges delta, with India and Bangladesh producing nearly all of the world crop. The stalks are retted in water to separate the fiber, which is spun into hessian cloth, burlap sacks, twine and carpet backing. Synthetic packaging cut demand sharply from the 1970s, but rules favoring biodegradable bags and Indian laws requiring jute packaging for grain and sugar keep the industry alive. Bangladesh is the largest exporter of raw jute and jute goods. Prices are set by grade in physical markets, with governments announcing minimum support prices for farmers and monsoon flooding a constant weather risk.