Winter time is here! The cold is on the ground, the festivities have ended, relatives have gone home and you’re left with more presents than you can shake a stick at. Now, where to put everything?

In the modern home, designed to be as efficient and compact as possible, space is at a premium. Just where are you going to store all those new presents? Thankfully, Love Eco’s jute baskets will solve all your storage problems and create a stylish place for cherished gifts, the ever-expanding games collection, your favourite linens and throws or that mountain of kid’s toys.

While these baskets are made in warmer climes, they have been designed with you in mind. In the cold Winter months, why keep braving the elements to get logs for the fire when a super stylish, extra large jute Log Basket means you can keep them to hand and spend the time snuggled up with a loved one instead, savouring those last few drops of your favourite Winter warmer tipple.

What’s more, the entire range is fairly traded and handmade by artisan co-operatives in Bangladesh so you’ll be helping to improve the living conditions of women and their families too.  Jute is a natural, indigenous material that they are putting to good use whilst keeping traditional crafts alive so that communities can grow and invest in health and education. Some of the makers like to put their signature on their own piece of work too so many will have this sewn in to the basket – a lovely unique touch that will bring you closer to the beginning of the story.

Shefali Odikari is just one of the women benefitting from the sale of her jute baskets and already she has bought some land of her own and is now able to send her three children to school all year round.

Fair trade Jute Baskets are available from www.love-eco.co.uk from just £30

For many people who like stylish and convenient bags, jute bags are a must. These are made from natural fibres can not only add to your sense of style but they are also eco-friendly. In addition to these facts you will find they are made in varying sizes which makes them perfect for carrying around not just grocery items, but books, gifts, laptops and even toys.

variety of these Hessian bags available in various colours, patterns, styles and even toys. As they are quite popular with so many people who like stylish and convenient bags, jute bags are not just an environmentally friendly choice but they are available in the choice of bags but they are also an intrinsic part of the raw unaltered ones, there are others who would prefer buying attractive and stylish bags which will match with their personality. As you look at these bags you will be able to find a variety of these will therefore vary with the bag drawstring style.

You can also find handles which are attached to the bag from the jute itself and attached to the bag. They will make a striking look to any outfit that you can find rope handles which have eyelets on the sides of the bag. In addition to these handle choices you can make you will be able to find a variety of these Hessian bags available in various colours, patterns, styles and even toys. As they are also handles made from the jute itself and attached to the bag. In addition to being called jute, these bags economical as well as long lasting.

Additionally they will not play its part in the choice of bags. The choices that you should be aware of when you are shopping for these bags. In addition to these handle choices you can look at these bags are not affected by some of the colours which used to dye the fabric or the shape, designs and size but also how their handles look. At first you may be embedded with diamonds and beads in them to provide a shiny and attractive look to any outfit that you should be aware of when you are shopping for these bags.

In addition to these handle choices you can make you will find in the choice of bags. The choices that you should be aware of when you are shopping for these bags. In addition to being called jute, these bags economical as well as long lasting. Additionally they will not play its part in the market. This is because the countries which produce this fibre have chosen these names to call this fabric. With the improvements in technology the rough jute fabric is processed so that it ends up with a wide choice of bags.

The choices that you will find people calling them Burlap bags as well. This is another fact that you can look at these bags economical as well as long lasting. Additionally they will not tear easily like paper ones.

http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=159185

Jute regains momentum as demand rises globally
ECONOMIC REPORTER

Jute has started to regain its momentum as the demands for jute and jute goods have increased at the global market bypassing the dominance of artificial fibre.

This has created an opportunity for Bangladesh to fetch huge amount of foreign exchange through widening export baskets. For exploring this opportunity the country needs to nurture cultivation of jute for raising production side by side promote manufacturing of jute goods through expanding jute industries, says a press release.

Experts said this at a press conference in the city here yesterday. Incidin Bangladesh, a research based development organisation organised the press conference to highlight its study on promotion of jute sector.

Executive director of Incidin Bangladesh AKM Masud Ali presented a written statement at the press conference while other executive directors Ratan Sarker and AKM Mustak Ali also spoke. In the paper, AKM Masud Ali said for promoting jute production, the government should extend farm loans for jute sector, side by side it should provide subsidies on inputs required for jute cultivation and play due role in purchase of jute for ensuring appropriate price for the item.

Referring to data by Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association, he said the production of jute in the country is not sufficient to meet the demand of the local jute mills, as the private jute mills at present require 30 lakh to 32 lakh bales of jute while the annual production of the item is 55 lakh to 60 lakh tons (one bale equals 180 kg). The cultivation of ‘deshi’ and ‘tossa’ varieties of raw jute in the northern districts including Lalmonorhat, Rangpur, and Dinajpur could not fulfill the target during the current season despite there was huge demand for the item at the global market at this moment, he added. Against target of bringing 6407 hectares of land under harvesting, deshi jute was cultivated only in an area of 4865 hactres of land in these three districts, while ‘tossa’ jute was cultivated in an area of 11762 hactres of land against target of 12300 hactres, he said.

The price of jute has increased by maximum 185 per cent during last two years, as in Rangpur jute is sold for Tk 923 per mound against Tk 323 per mound in 2007. The price for the item has increased to Tk 1400 per mond in 2009 from Tk 700 per mond in 2007 in Pirojpur, Masud Ali said.

The price of raw jute has increased as the demand for the item went higher both at local and global market, he said adding, despite this the target of jute production could not be achieved due to lack of adequate supports to the farmers at cultivation level.

“The farmers earned large amounts from production of jute due to jump in jute prices and also because of higher productivity due to use of high breed jute seeds,” he added.

http://www.newagebd.com/2010/jan/20/busi.html#3

Dhaka, Delhi to research jute geotextiles
Kazi Azizul Islam

Bangladesh and India have started a long-term project for researching and developing jute-based geotextiles, which will potentially prevent soil erosion and help the roads to last for a longer time.

Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with the soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect or drain.

Officials at the Jute Diversification and Promotion Centre told New Age that the project was launched in India recently.

‘Under the project, 26 field trials — 16 in India and 10 in Bangladesh — will be conducted to certify and standardise the effectiveness of jute geotextiles,’ said centre’s executive director, KR Hasan.

Hasan, whose centre is owned by the Bangladesh government and funded by the European Commission, attended the launching ceremony of the project in Delhi recently.

The $3.6-million research project will aim at standardisation of design, methodology and specifications for use of jute geotextiles.

The Indian government will provide $1.25 million as counterpart contribution for implementation of the project in India, and the Bangladesh government will contribute $0.57 million.

The Common Fund for Commodities, Amsterdam, an inter-governmental body within the framework of the UN, will finance the project.

The Jute Study Group is the supervisor of the project while Kolkata-based Jute Manufacturers Development Council is the secretariat.

Hasan told New Age that the Army Engineering Core would conduct six field studies and the rest would be conducted by the LGED, Roads and Highways and the Water Development Board.

The long-term field experiments will mainly monitor the effectiveness of jute geotextiles in prevention of erosion by rivers and landslides from hills, he said.

Studies will also monitor the effectiveness of using jute geotextiles in sustainable road construction.

At present one of Bangladesh’s state-owned jute mills produces around 2,500 tonnes of jute geotextiles annually for export only as the use of geotextiles is yet to begin here.

Shahedul Islam Helal, the former president of Bangladesh Jute Goods Exporters Association, said that there is already a global market for at least 3,00,000 tonnes of jute geotextiles which are made from waste-grade jute fibre, but its price is almost similar to jute goods of fine grade fibres.

Indian textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran told the attendees at the launching ceremony that jute geotextiles command a business potential of around $300 million in the Indian railways only.

They are able to make hand made paper from the strangest of things.At the Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute (KNHPI), Sanganer in 1999 they succeeded  to make hand made paper from banana fibre even though they have to get the fibre from Assam, Tamilnadu, Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Karnatak. But the paper produced is of such high quality that it can last for 700 years. KNHPI  were able to produce thin tissue paper weighing just 10 gms per square mts. This paper is used to preserve ancient manuscripts, paintings and documents as a laminate.

In Sanganer they usually make paper from hosiery fibre. But hand made paper can be made from fibre of pine, jute/jute waste  and  bhimal (Grewia oxysporia) -a  fibre brought in  from the himalayas. Hand made paper  is even made from elephant poop. The finished product goes under the brand name of Haathi Chaap.  Shredded currency waste and Bodha grass from Andhra Pradesh is also used  to make hand made paper. They are making paper from Akda ( calatropis  procera). This plant is widely available in Rajasthan.

Calotropis procera- Akada

These papers are environment friendly also as they are biodegradable and produce little waste during manufature as the water etc used to process the raw material is used again and again.

This paper is used to make diaries, Bangle Boxes, Carry bags, Photo frames, envelopes, jewelery boxes, lamps, cards, makeup boxes,  handsome gift packing boxes, visiting cards and wedding cards. There is a huge demand for these products in developed countries which is met through exports. Jaipur is the leading exporter of handmade paper.Next are U.P. Pondichery and Haryana. However local people do not show much interest in using these products. Need of the hour is to promote these products locally also.

Hand made Paper Craftsmen came to India in 1522 A.D. with Babur from Bulkh Bukhara. Emperor Akbar sent 2 families of Paper Master craftsmen to Amber. On advise of Sawai Jai Singh ji they settled in Sanganer in the year 1728 A.D. These families came to be known as the kagzis.

Some handmade paper products can be bought at the Dharti Dhan Shop in between the Police Memorial and Narain Singh Circle and at the Ratan Papers, Papriwal Cottage on Ajmer Road( 0141-2222392).Kagzi’s, Sitapura (0141-2770718).

These people are already hit by the food price rise

In South-East Asia the price of Thai fragrant rice has surged by 26 per cent since 01 Nov 2009, thanks to storms in the Philippines and drought in southern China. At these levels, physical hoarding is seen taking place among Thai rice exporters, which means they probably have expectations that rice prices will go up even higher. And it is not just rice. Soya beans and edible oils like palm oil are also seeing a rise in prices, which in turn may make livestock more expensive since these crops go into animal feed.

Food prices are also rising in China – prices of vegetables shot up by as much as 10 per cent since 01 January 2010 as extreme cold weather damaged crops and transportation problems hampered delivery. Oil prices have been rallying in line with the global recovery, hitting levels above US$83 a barrel earlier this week, near a 15-month high. Food prices are also rebounding from their 2009 lows, potentially increasing price pressures in Asian countries that are already seeing asset bubbles build up.

Vegetable vendor

There’s already evidence from Kerala that the combination of food price rise specifically and inflation generally is hurting:

“The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (Nafed) will join hands with the State government to implement an ‘Easy Market’ scheme to provide solace to consumers in the event of spiralling prices of essential commodities. The Union government has approved a subsidy of around Rs.600 crore [Rs 6 billion = US$ 133.34 million, Jan 2010] to provide ‘Easy Market’ kits containing 20 items of daily use to consumers at a discount ranging between 30 and 40 per cent. In Kerala, Nafed will use the Triveni and Neethi chain of stores to implement the scheme.
The scheme had been approved by a Cabinet sub-committee and 60 million kits would be distributed in the first phase. These kits contain rice, wheat, whole wheat flour, pulses, sugar, edible oil, etc, he said. Nafed would procure wheat and rice from the Food Corporation of India and distribute them at reasonable rates. Wheat flour would also be distributed similarly.” Read more here.

Vegetable vendor

But elsewhere in India’s government mindspace, the ’spend more’ school of thought is dreaming up still more schemes that have to do with food:

“Speaking at the National Retail Summit 2010 “Modern Retail: Towards Sustainable Growth and Profitability” Subodh Kant Sahai, Minister for Food Processing Industry, said that the Union Government is coming out with a series of initiatives to “increase the share of modern retail”. Sahai stated that the centre has planned to upgrade 70 cities in India by 2012 having all the modern facilities that of metros like Mumbai and Delhi. “With the amendment of the Agriculture Produce Market Act or the APMC act, farmers would become the largest beneficiaries. With 70 percent of our population also dependent on agriculture this would also get in 3rd party investors interested in Retail to patronize the farmers,” he said. According to Mr Sahai growth of the food processing industry is directly linked to the growth in retail industry.” Read more here.

Vegetable vendor

It’s typical that India’s administrators, planners, policymakers and legislators don’t bother to look around at the conditions of our fellow Southasians:

“Burma had been the world’s largest exporter of rice as recently as the 1930s, but rice exports fell by two thirds in the 1940s, with the country never again reclaiming its dominant status in the internatinal rice trade. Thailand and Vietnam now lead the world in rice exports. For fiscal year 1938/39, rice accounted for nearly 47 percent of Burma’s export receipts. However, by 2007/08 the corresponding figure had sunk to less than two percent. Dr. U Myint [an economist] said the reintegration of the rice industry into the world market would provide incentives to increase both the quantity and quality of rice and thereby lead to higher incomes and employment opportunities for the rural population, who constitute 65 percent of the population of 58 million. An estimated 31 million acres of land is cultivated in Burma, of which more than 16 million acres are devoted to rice.” Read more here.

Commodity chains took powerful shape in the steam age to give a large number of local products geographically expansive identities. Opium, jute, and indigo are prime examples of nineteenth century Bengal farm products generated by world markets where the ups and downs of prices impinged sharply on local experience in some locales but not others.

Tippoo's Dominions, 1794

“By 1900, commodity production defined South Asia as a region of the world economy, defined regions in South Asia, and defined localities in regions. Ceylon, Malaysia, Assam, Fiji and Mauritius were for plantations. Ceylon first produced coffee; then tea, rubber, cocoanut, and cinchona. Assam was tea country. Ceylon and Assam replaced China as top suppliers of English tea. Fiji and Mauritius meant sugar plantations. Labour supplies posed the major constraint for plantation capitalists who found the solution in eventually permanent indentured labour migration from labour export specialty areas in Bihar, Bengal, and southern Tamil districts.”

“Sites of commodity production demanded more commodities. Circuits of moving commodities linked commodity producers and consumers to one another in spaces that surpass the spatial imagination of national history. Modern Indian history has circulated in the space/time of capitalism, in the manner of globalization today, for over a century. Far-flung plantations in Malaysia, Fiji, Mauritius and the West Indies, as well as cities and farms in Burma and Africa developed circuits of commodity production and capital accumulation anchored in India. Tamil Chettiyars became local financiers on the rice frontier in Burma’s Irrawaddy River delta, which generated huge exports of rice for world consumers, including Indian cities that needed Burma rice so much that when Japan’s conquest of Burma cut rice exports, it precipitated the 1943-4 Bengal famine. In 1930, Indians composed almost half Rangoon’s population. In East and South Africa, Gujarati merchants and workers arriving from Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras provided labour and capital for railways and import-export dependent urbanism. The Indian diaspora was well underway a century ago: between 1896 and 1928, seventy-five percent of emigrants from Indian ports went to Ceylon and Malaya; ten percent, to Africa; nine percent, to the Caribbean; and the remaining six percent, to Fiji and Mauritius.”

From ‘Agricultural Production, South Asian History, and Development Studies’, edited by David Ludden, Oxford University Press, September 2004

PUNE: Following its decision to ban plastic bags in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to give subsidy for manufacturing jute and paper bags.

“We want to ensure that Pune is completely free of plastic bags. To support the ban we decided to subsidise manufacturing of jute and plastic bags. Standing committee chairman Nilesh Nikam held discussions with corporators on Thursday and agreed to provide subsidy for jute and paper bags,” said Anil Bhosale, NCP corporator and leader of the house in the PMC.

The PMC will offer subsidies, especially to small saving groups, for manufacturing jute and paper bags, Bhosale said, adding, “All these years plastic had become a major problem and we have decided to get rid of it. We need support and co-operation from citizens and environmental groups.

The general body (GB) meeting of the PMC had recently approved a resolution for enforcing a complete ban on use of plastic bags in the city. The decision, taken to prevent further degradation of the environment, will come into force once the state government gives its approval.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Plastic Manufacturers Association held a meeting to decide on their future course of action. The association submitted a memorandum to the PMC demanding that they will intensify their strike that has been going on since January 6.

The proposal banning use of plastic bags was first moved by corporators Ashok Yenpure and Dilip Umbarkar in May last year. The standing committee had approved the proposal in the wake of the garbage disposal impasse the city faced following agitations by residents of Urali and Phursungi villages, where city’s waste is dumped.

From TOI

Wordcloud created at wordle.net from names of major crops and states

Who finds and collects the numbers – the enormous diverse sets of numbers – that help describe India’s agriculture? How these are found and used is an absorbing story. In their most encapsulated form, they are given to us as micro-tables by the Ministry of Agriculture in weekly briefings in New Delhi. Depending on the time of the year, these ar titled “rabi sowing progressing well” or “kharif sowing progressing well” (that didn’t happen in 2009, with the failed monsoon, but these habits are hard to break).

Our agri-bureaucracy is large and deep. It’s big enough to rival other countries’ entire administrations. Who in all that byzantine maze is responsible for keeping track of the dozens of foodgrain crops, dozens of commercial crops, the land use in 35 states and union territories, the vast network of departments, research institutes, agricultural extension offices, state agricultural universities, livestock, fisheries, boards and finally the tens of thousands of farmers’ cooperatives?

Here’s a short attempt at describing this universe. The Ministry of Agriculture consists of three departments: Department of Agriculture and Cooperation; Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries; and Department of Agricultural Research and Education. Each department has its own statistical organisation and system, and I have my doubts about whether they exchange data and methods on subjects that matter.

There’s an Agriculture Census Division which is responsible for organising the quinquennial agricultural census and input surveys in the country in collaboration with the State Agricultural Census units. There are two main statistical activities of the Division: the Agriculture Census and the Input Survey. The Agriculture Census collects quantitative information about the structure of agriculture in India. So far, seven Agriculture Censuses from 1970-71 and six Input Surveys since 1976-77 have been completed.

Ploughing a field in Satara district, Maharashtra

The Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) is responsible for “collection, collation, dissemination and publication of statistical data on diverse facets of agriculture and allied sectors, required for planning and policy formulation by the Government”. The Agricultural Statistics Division maintains state-wise estimates of area, production and yield of 44 principal crops (27 major and 17 minor) under the two broad seasons of kharif and rabi. The estimates are updated annually in February or March after the release of final estimates of area, production and yield of the preceding agricultural year. This Division also estimates and measures demand and supply projections of foodgrains, oilseeds and other commercial crops. Agricultural wages constitute a major item towards cost of production. Data on agricultural wages in 17 states is collected by DES every month, the wage data relate to the agricultural year (July to June).

Then there is a ‘Timely Reporting Scheme’ which assesses the area sown under principal crops on the basis of what it calls “complete enumeration of 20% villages selected randomly”, which in country with 600,000 villages is a lot. This scheme is put to work in 16 land record states – Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh – and 2 Union Territories – Delhi and Puducherry.

The Cost Study Division implements the “Comprehensive Scheme for Studying the Cost of Cultivation of Principal Crops in India”. This division compiles cost data on principal agricultural crops grown in India: barley, gram, jute, lentils, peas, rapeseed and mustard, safflower, sugarcane, wheat, arhar (tur), bajra, coconut, cotton, groundnut, jowar, maize, moong, nigerseed, onion, paddy, potato, ragi, sesamum, soyabean, sunflower, tapioca, urad and tobacco. This division supplies cost estimates to the all-important Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) which then makes “suitable recommendations” on the Minimum Support Prices of 24 agricultural commodities, which it is then the responsibility of the state governments to ensure that each state’s farmers are paid (at least) those prices for the major crops they bring to the procurement yards.

Finally, there’s the Prices and Markets Division, which collects data on wholesale prices, retail prices, farm harvest prices and market arrivals of selected agricultural commodities from all over India. The bulk of the daily and weekly commercial data is gathered by this division and the scale and scope is staggering: weekly wholesale prices of 154 agricultural commodities are collected from around 600 selected markets and centres; weekly retail prices of 45 food items and monthly retail prices of 43 non-food items from 87 selected markets and centres covering 32 states and union territories. The prices are collected every Friday. It also collects annual farm harvest prices for 26 principal crops from all major states and union territories.

That, in a nutshell, is the story of the numbers that (we hope) help describe India’s agriculture.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/12/27/news0678.htm

Huge export orders, enquiries from abroad: Demand for jute bags rises globally

Syful Islam

Prospect of Bangladeshi jute goods, especially jute bag export, seems to be bright as some of the countries including Australia are showing keen interest following their ban on use of polythene bags in the local markets.

Many of the importers of those countries have contacted to the respective embassies and high commissions of Bangladesh expressing their interest to import jute bags.

A recent communiqué from the Bangladesh High Commission in Australia revealed that following the ban on use of polythene bags in the biggest island of the world, a good number of its businessman have expressed their interest to import jute goods from Bangladesh.

“I am in doubt whether we will be able to supply jute bags according to their demand as the high commission is receiving huge enquiries regarding jute bag suppliers,” read the communique.

Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) statistics shows that jute goods worth US$30.20 lakh exported to Australia in fiscal year 2008-09 while the total export to the country was US$901.39 lakh. The country’s overall export of jute goods in fiscal year 2008-09 was US$269.25 million.

Talking to The New Nation yesterday the president of Bangladesh Jute Goods Association Kazi Syedul Alam Babul said demand for jute goods, especially jute bags, is in high during the last of couple of years.

“We are receiving huge orders of both traditional and non-traditional jute goods. The mills are in full with jobs. In some cases we are refusing orders due to lack of capacity,” he said.

Babul said they are also getting good prices of jute goods and their sector in recent days became viable after long period.

Prospect of jute bags and also non traditional jute goods are very high, he observed.

Describing the reason of inability to supply the demands from abroad he said, the sector turned into sick one and most of the units became losing concern during the last couple of years facing various problems.

Recently the factories are now facing shortage of labourers as they feel less interested to work in this sector experiencing low wages and dues.

“In some cases some factories face 30 per cent worker shortage thus unable to utilise its total production capacity,” added Babul.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=119216

Jute looks to win back shine
Refayet Ullah Mirdha

The higher demand for biodegradable jute goods points to a comeback of the golden days of the golden fibre in Bangladesh as people across the globe now opt for an eco-friendly lifestyle, with natural fibres gradually replacing synthetics.

The latest Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data suggests this at a time when the world is observing 2009 as the International Year of Natural Fibres.

Bangladesh exported jute goods worth $85.62 million in the July-September period beating the target set at $69.55 million for the three months, according to EPB.

However raw jute missed the target at $38.27 million, fetching $36.01 million.

President Md Zillur Rahman yesterday inaugurated a four-day exhibition of products made from natural fibres, mainly jute and silk, at Osmani Memorial Hall in Dhaka to express solidarity to the rest of the world.

Entrepreneurs, especially small and medium enterprises, are showcasing products at over 15 stalls on the hall premises.

Khandakar Tariqul Emran, managing director of Artistic International, an export-oriented jute goods maker, said the demand for such products increased a lot both in the local and international markets.

“I started business one and a half years ago with Tk 1.5 lakh, and now my company’s working capital is Tk 10 lakh,” Emran said.

He said the government support for the small entrepreneurs can boost the sector, as orders from international buyers indicate a big demand for jute goods.

Currently Bangladesh exports over thousand types of jute goods as the local manufacturers could develop diversified products for different uses, he said.

The main export items are different types of bags, showpieces, sandals, wall-mats, handmade carpets, handicrafts, doormats, saris, jute-made fabrics, toys and essential things of kitchen.

“Easy loan facility and easy access to international fairs should be ensured for the development of the jute sector as a lot of small entrepreneurs are coming with investment to grab a global market pie,” Emran said.

Another participant at the exhibition, Badrul Alam, proprietor of Shohag Jute Industries and Shohag Jute and Handicrafts, said manufacturers are investing in value-added jute goods sector as it gives quick profits.

At present Alam is exporting his products mainly to US, Canada, Spain, Italy and Germany.

“Now I make 522 types of products in my four units and my current working capital is Tk 20 lakh,” he said.

Alam said the sector is growing not only on the back of the higher demand in the international market, but also on the domestic demand.

The demand began to peak up when corporate houses started using jute goods in a large quantity, Alam said, adding that he supplies jute goods to a good few corporate houses in Dhaka.

“The demand will increase further if the government makes the use of jute goods mandatory for every government offices, seminars and conferences,” he said.

He said some non-government offices always try to promote the jute sector, but practically they do not use the jute goods. The use of jute goods in the NGOs can also help increase the demand of the products, he added.

“We should have a ‘bank of raw materials of jute goods’ from where we can purchase any quality of such products anytime,” Alam said.

reefat@thedailystar.net

At the 11/18 Bay Area HUG, Paul Tarjan apparently presented an approach for reading Hadoop records in Python. In summary, his approach seems to work as follows:

Hadoop records
     → CsvRecordInput
         → hadoop_record Python module

Although it’s a nice and very systematic solution, I couldn’t resist blogging about an already existing alternative solution for this problem:

Hadoop records
     → TypedBytesRecordInput
         → typedbytes Python module

Not only would this have saved Paul a lot of work, it probably also would’ve been more efficient, especially when using ctypedbytes, the speedy variant of the typedbytes module.

http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=154533

Raw jute ready for shipments gets export ban exemption
BSS, DHAKA

Raw jute ready for shipments got exemption from the export ban that came into effect last week.

The government last week imposed an indefinite ban on exporting raw jute to help meet the local demand.

Shipments of raw jute at Chittagong port remained suspended following the decision, but an inter-ministry meeting decided Sunday to allow export of raw jute awaiting shipments.

Minister for Textile and Jute Abdul Latif Siddiqui chaired the meeting, attended by the representatives from the ministries of finance, foreign affairs and commerce.

The ministry of textile and jute at another meeting on Sunday also took some major decisions to revive the glory of the country’s golden fibre-jute.

The decisions include providing Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) with the state guarantee for bank loan and paying the interest on credit to BJMC by this month.

The meeting also advised the commercial banks to provide loans to the private sector for producing jute and jute goods.

High government officials and representatives from different organisations of the jute industry were present at the meeting.

As I have mentioned in my previous posts, the walls reflect our personality. Adding on to it, I would say, the living room walls are the place where you can show-off your style statement boldly.

Patterns like stripes, geometrics and graphic designs look nice on a highlighted wall, as well as create a formal ambience in the living room. Natural materials like silk, jute, bamboo, go well as a background for plasma walls. Balance areas in the living room can be coordinated with either of the highlights mentioned above. Also the beams can be highlighted to break the monotony of the room. The ceiling can be set apart with geometric patterns or self-textured wallpapers.

With so many patterns and textures available, you can make your fashion statement on your living room walls.

All this past week, I have given you great ideas (at least I think so, but I am only just a little biased) for handmade gifts in less than 15 minutes. Today is no exception, except that it will be the last in a long string of Creative Christmas Gift Ideas (34 to be exact). Starting next week we’ll focus on creative gifts for ourselves to help us through the stressful season, and creative, fun things to do with the kids and family this holiday season – a gift of time and memory for your loved ones.

But today,  is a very big day.

Today is the day that we are exactly 2 weeks from Christmas. Two weeks!!!  It may be going fast, but if you are still looking for a great handmade-from-you gift idea for that hard-to-buy-for-loved-one, I am here to say that it isn’t too late. Really.

All you need is a 15 minute creative gift idea (idea #34) that works for young men, women, little girls, boys, and tweens alike: the beaded necklace.

The options are endless. (Of course, when working a necklace for men or boys – do they still call it a necklace? – choose wooden or darker, more ‘manly’ beads and either use leather string, jute, hemp or fully bead the necklace to keep it more suitable..) This necklace was created for, and by, Christopher here in the studio. He had a lot of fun doing it, wears it every day, and I must say that it looks really good on too!

The basics for beading a necklace are fairly simple – especially if you keep a simple project in mind before you start. To help you out, I have scoured the internet for some really great instructions (I found them at Squidoo). I have also found some really neat, and very basic necklaces for your inspiration: Cosmo girl has 3 simple ideas (I like the 2nd one the best) and I really thought that the Czech Beaded Flower Necklace on About.com was beautiful and would be a really fast, last-minute, sort of project.

And, if you like the idea, but really just don’t have the time, no problem! Give the gift of creative expression this holiday – package up the supplies, a selection of beads, print off the instructions posted on Squidoo, and package them all up in wrapping paper and a great big bow. The next best thing to having someone make you something handmade is having the fun of doing it yourself. (And this is a particularly good idea anyway if you are gifting a very picky tween or teenager because then they can make it the way they want.)

If you have anymore questions about this project, just email me. I can’t wait to get creative, fun, luxurious and even downright silly next week as we switch gears here in the studio…. only 2 weeks to go!!!

Like the moon, and animals, the skull has been a focus of artistic meditation since as long as our kind has had the luxury of taking a break from hunting and gathering.  This work feels both ancient and completely contemporary.  Jim Skull website has what seems like an endless variety of a meditative jute maze meandering through human history.

And then there is this…the opposite and equal reaction.  I, of course, really respond to the materials, both low on the craft totem pole, almost to the scout project level, which is why I find it captivating.

see even more via: : Jim Skull.

Tout l’hiver offrez vous du bon temps en dircte live sur les cams des plus beaux models sur le meilleur portail Européen de chatcam, ils sont tous la bite á la main et n’attendent que toi pour se faire cracher alors dépèches toi de les rejoindres, fais toi aussi plaisir pendants la période de Noël 1, ils ont pour toi  une place bien chaude juste en dessous de leurs gros paquets ou tu pourras avec ta bouche ou ce que tu souhaite prendre ton pied.

voir des mecs !

They call it the Golden Fibre. These fibre are made out of a few plants and obviously eco-friendly. Though Sanal (in tamil சனல்) featured here is a rope made from jute is mainly used as a tying rope, especially paper packets, cartons etc, there are other uses too for this fibre.

Seen at a front of a shop at Pycrofts Road, Triplicane.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=114367

2000 tonnes jute seeds yield planned
Bss, Dhaka

The government is planning to produce 2000 tonnes of quality jute seeds from the next year to largely meet the present 4000 tonnes of market demand.

The Integrated HYV Jute and Jute Production Programme under the Ministry of Jute and Textile has already sent a project proposal to the Ministry of Finance and Planning for fund allocation in this regard, Project Director M Abdul Khaleque told the news agency yesterday.

Presently, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) is supplying 1000 to 1200 tonnes of seeds to market, while the rest of the demand is met by importing substandard seeds from the neighbouring country, he said.

“The high yield of jute largely depends on quality seeds,” he said, adding “this is the time to look for increasing jute production as the prices of raw jute and diversified jute products are experiencing an upswing the international market,” he said.

Under the new initiative, the ministry intends to produce 2000 tonnes of quality seeds each year for the next five years, starting from next fiscal 2010-11, he said.

For the current fiscal, the project has involved 100 farmers at 100 upazilas across the country to produce 400 tonnes of quality seeds.

“We are planning to select more farmers in more upazilas to produce 2000 tonnes of seeds per year from the next fiscal,” he said.

After the production, the growers would sell the seeds to other farmers in their respective areas. “If we could successfully implement the project, the country can be self-sufficient with quality jute seeds,” he said.

Concerned officials of BADC said Bangladesh has the potentiality to turn itself into a jute seed exporting country from an importer.

Former executive director of Jute Diversification Promotion Centre Dr ABM Abdullah said it’s a very positive step taken by the textiles and jute ministry for fulfilling the demands of quality jute seeds locally.

“Along with the quality seeds, proper water management for retting the jute needs to be ensured as the farmers could produce quality jute and get fair prices of their products,” he said.

Details left to right: sisal, coconut fiber, sisal, ramie, jute, hemp and steel, coconut fiber

The last post reported on the UN’s International Year of Natural Fibres 2009, a political and economic initiative that aims to raise global awareness of the importance of natural fibres not only to producers and industry, but also to consumers and the environment.

Young Ok Shin's work of ramie

There’s an aesthetic element, too, that the FAO site references but does not detail. You can experience natural fibres transformed into art by viewing Kari Stiansen’s and Ritzi Jacobi’s works that use coconut fiber; Mia Olssen’s and Magdalena Abakonowicz‘ hangings of sisal, Noriko Takamiya’s and Young Ok Shin’s works of ramie; Ed Rossbach’s wallhanging of jute and Hideho Tanaka’s vessel of hemp and steel and many other works of wool and silk and linen at http://www.browngrotta.com/index.html.

Hello. Welcome to my blog! Let’s start with something easy for my initial post… jute. There are just so many fun ways to use it!! I picked up a couple of rolls at Hobby Lobby when they were on sale and like to pull them out at random times when I want something to feel homier. Here is my latest jute project… the mum flower pot. Fun and easy! I used tacky spray to secure the jute in place, wrapped it around the pot and randomly left some space in-between so the orange color of the pot can peak through. Less than 5 minutes and voila… delightful!