Jute or Golden fiber is the most versatile use of fiber that is mostly produced in Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, etc. If you belong to these Asian countries, you may have already used any jute-made item in your life. Jute is useful in making insulation, geotextiles, activated carbon powders, flooring, garments, rugs, ropes, handicrafts, curtains, carpet backings, paper, sandals, carry bags, and furniture as well. Every part of the Jute plant can be used, for example, the outer layer of the stem produces fiber, and leaves can be cooked. The soft or inner part of the stem is used in the paper manufacturing industry. And this is why the jute industry has been thriving in Asian countries for centuries now.
The prime reason could be that Jute requires very little water and fertilizer compared to other crops. And it is a great framing option that has better profits than other crops. However, the whole jute production and processing industries are labor intensive. Still, Jute is one of the most used fibers all across the world, but whenever people hear jute, they either think about India or Bangladesh.
However, there are other countries as well that contribute to the global jute production amount, therefore today we will be taking a look at the largest producers of Jute in the world. Let’s talk about the interesting data and shine a light on other jute-producing countries as well. Shall we?
Top Countries for Jute Production in World
1. India
The jute industry in India is older than 150 years. Every year, the Indian jute industry produces over 1.968 million tonnes of jute. And this is what makes India the largest producer of jute in the world, followed by Bangladesh. West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Assam are the prominent states where jute cultivation is thriving. In India, over 6 to 7 lakh people get employment because of this jute industry. And nowadays, the government scheme for packaging reservation is helping jute cultivation and processing. This is the prime reason that you see wheat distributed by the government of India in jute bags. The financial year of 2022 data isn’t out yet, but it is estimated that India will surpass the amount of 2 million tonnes of jute production this year.
2. Bangladesh
India produces the most amount of jute, but in terms of jute product exports, Bangladesh ranks number one. Bangladesh is a fairly small country compared to India and other countries in this list, but still, it produces a whopping 1.349 million tonnes of jute every year. And every year, Bangladesh exports 42% of its jute products to the international market. For many families and farmers in Bangladesh, the jute industry is the only income source. There are many processing factories all across Bangladesh for making jute fibers to use for jute products. If we compare Bangladesh to India in terms of jute production, then India surely wins the round but the production rate is way faster and better in Bangladesh.
3. China
The third largest jute producer in the world is China, but when compared to India and Bangladesh, China doesn’t stand a chance. China only produces 45 thousand metric tonnes of jute every year, which is negligible compared to India and Bangladesh. Agriculture is for sure thriving in China, but jute production isn’t. The prime reason is that Chinese farmers have far better options when it comes to cultivation. Still, some farmers produce jute so that the jute-made items demand in China can be fulfilled. However, China mostly imports jute from Bangladesh followed by India.
4. Uzbekistan
Nepal used to be the fourth largest jute producer in the world, but the production in Nepal has dipped a little, and Uzbekistan has taken over the fourth rank. Talking specifically about the production data, so last year, Uzbekistan produced just over 20 thousand metric tonnes of jute. Which is quite a good amount for a small country like Uzbekistan. However, the demand for jute-made products is fulfilled by importing jute products from India and Bangladesh.
5. Nepal
According to a statistical report from 2018, Nepal used to be the fourth largest jute producer in the world with an incredible number of 21 thousand metric tonnes in the financial year. But in the last few years, production has decreased by a few percent since many farmers want to seek better and more profitable opportunities. In Nepal, farmers have other crops that are more profitable than jute and require less labor. Still, last year, Nepal’s farmers were able to produce just over 18 thousand metric tonnes of jute. Most of which are processed and used to make jute products to sell for a better profit. Compared to other competitors, Nepal has less farming for jute cultivation and compared to other countries, the jute production rate is incredible.
6. Myanmar
Myanmar is another fairly small Asian country that contributes some amount to global jute production. However, it is not as significant as Bangladesh and India. Last year, Myanmar was able to produce 17 thousand metric tonnes of jute, which is fairly close to what Nepal produced last year. It is possible that Myanmar becomes the fifth largest jute producer in the world by pushing back Nepal to the sixth rank. Myanmar doesn’t export raw jute fiber to other countries, instead they have various processing plants and factories all across the nation to make products like jute bags, jute, handicrafts, wheat packaging, etc.
7. Thailand
The spa massages, nightlife, nature, and beaches are the prime reasons why Thailand is quite famous in the entire world. However, we could have stated that Thailand is known for its jute production but it’s not. Some farmers in Thailand are into jute cultivation, but the farmers’ number isn’t big enough to produce jute in large quantities. That is the reason, last year, Thailand was able to produce only 12 thousand metric tonnes of jute. And most of which is processed in-house to sell to foreign travelers and to the local population of Thailand.
8. Vietnam
Vietnam is known for its history and beautiful landscapes. That is the reason, the tourism industry is thriving in this small Asian country. After the war, Vietnam somehow recovered from the damage, and most of the industries are growing rapidly, for example, clothing, textile, metal production, etc. We could add jute production to the rapidly growing industries in Vietnam, but it isn’t. Instead jute production isn’t that considerable in Vietnam, the growth is slow but steady. That is why, in 2021-22, Vietnam produced nearly 12 thousand metric tonnes of jute.
9. Sudan
Sudan’s contribution to global jute production is somewhat negligible since it only produces a few thousand metric tonnes every year. For example, last year, Sudan farmers were only able to produce 3,350 metric tonnes of jute, most of which was used in-house. The main reason behind the low golden fiber/jute fiber production is that the environment and soil aren’t good enough for cultivating jute plants in large areas.
10. Egypt
The Egyptian jute is called “mulukhiyya” which is a little different than the Asian countries’ jute. Again, similar to Sudan, Egypt’s contribution to global jute production is also negligible. In 2021, Egypt only produced 2,508 metric tonnes of jute. Egypt’s environment is totally different than a typical Asian country, and that’s why jute production on large scale is impossible in Egypt. However, Egypt imports a good amount of jute from the top producers since in the local markets there’s a high demand for jute-made products, especially handicraft items.
Conclusion
Jute production brings income opportunities for many farmers in Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and China. However, other than the top producers, in other countries, jute production is started to decrease by a few percent every year. And we’ve spent a good amount of time talking about the various reasons behind that. Now you have a good understanding of what are the largest producers of jute in the world, and why countries like India, and Bangladesh lead the jute production globally.
