The Hindu : Business : Jute delegation for Chile, Peru

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 04, 2005

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Jute delegation for Chile, Peru

Special Correspondent

To look for export opportunities in foodgrade and designer bags and floor coverings

KOLKATA: With Latin America emerging as a promising market for jute exports, a delegation is visiting that country on November 7 to hold detailed discussions on export opportunities for three major product categories.

Countries on the itinerary include Chile and Peru, where a jute delegation will be sent for the first time.

Textile ministry officials told The Hindu that the three products on which discussions would be held were foodgrade bags, designer bags and floor coverings.

Sources said that Brazil had a Rs. 160 crore market for cocoa and coffee products, and there was hardly any Indian presence there.

Now, with last year's lifting of a decade-old anti-dumping duty imposed on Indian jute there, the prospects have improved, more so after some local jute mills (which processed goods using raw jute from Bangladesh) closed down for various reasons. The delegation, which will be led by the secretary of the Jute Manufactures Development Council (JMDC), Arun Bal, will have eight industry representatives, including one from the south and another JMDC official.

While the traditional jute goods occupied 65 per cent of the space in the jute exports basket, diversified products such as floor coverings and shopping bags have a 28 per cent share. The balance is accounted for by items such as soil saver, webbing and canvas and carpet backing.

The major exporters, accounting for 39 per cent of the export value in the period under review, were Cheviot Company, The Champdany Industries, Ludlow Jute Mills, Murlidhar Ratanlal Exports Ltd and Birla Corporation Ltd.

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