Government officials in India estimate that there will be a huge deficit of jute bags available for packing the new crop of rice to be ready in few months.
This year, there is an estimated shortage of about 350,000 bales, or about 175 million jute bags for runaway rice and wheat. The jute industry has blamed the government for the deficit citing poor planning. Industry experts recently said that jute will be produced about 1.25 million jute bags this year.
A bill introduced in the 1980s says that rice and wheat should be packed in jute bags to support the local industry of jute and protect the environment. The law also says that a maximum of 20% of the harvest may be packed in plastic bags in case of shortage of jute bags.
Government officials have said that plastic bags can be used this year to meet the packaging requirements, suggesting that the law on jute bags could be changed soon.
