India uses plastic instead of jute due to shortages

India faces a shortage of jute sacks for the upcoming rice harvest

 

India, the world’s leading producer of jute sacks, is currently facing a worrying shortage of this essential material for agricultural packaging, especially ahead of the imminent rice harvest.

An estimated deficit of around 350,000 bales has been reported, equivalent to approximately 175 million jute sacks needed to package rice and wheat. The jute industry has pointed to the government as responsible for this situation, citing a lack of planning and insufficient foresight in production and supply.

 

An industry under pressure

According to sector experts, production this year will be around 1.25 million sacks, a figure insufficient to meet national demand. This creates uncertainty both within the jute industry and the agricultural sector, which urgently needs solutions to secure logistics for the upcoming harvest season.

 

An environmental law that could be revised

Since the 1980s, India has had a law requiring rice and wheat to be packaged in jute sacks, with the dual objective of supporting the local industry and protecting the environment from the massive use of plastic. This regulation allows only a maximum of 20% of the harvest to be packaged in plastic, and only in cases of jute shortage.

Given the current situation, government officials have temporarily authorized the use of plastic bags to meet packaging requirements, which could open the door to a future amendment of the current law.

 

Jute: more than a sack, an environmental necessity

Beyond the economic impact, this crisis poses a significant environmental risk. Replacing jute sacks with plastic implies a setback in sustainability, especially in a country that has been a model in the large-scale use of biodegradable plant fibers.

 

At Deyute, we continue to defend the use of jute as an ecological, functional, and essential solution for the present and future of agricultural packaging. Choosing this natural fiber means choosing a healthier planet.