Growing and Retting Jute

How farmers grow jute during the monsoon, soak stalks in water to separate fibre (retting), and why retting water and prices affect quality and incomes.

Jute is grown during the monsoon.

Growing

Sown around March-May.
Harvested after about four months.

Retting

Stalks are soaked in ponds or rivers for weeks.
Microbes loosen the fibre from the stalk.
Workers strip fibre by hand.

Water

Retting needs clean, slow-moving water; poor water lowers fibre quality.

Improved retting

Microbial formulations like CRIJAF SONA speed retting and improve quality.

Hard work

Retting and stripping are labour-intensive and unpleasant.

Prices

Farmers’ incomes depend on fibre prices at harvest.

The retting pond

A farmer in Nadia soaks jute bundles in a pond for three weeks before stripping the fibre.

Thinking jute fibre comes off the plant easily

Retting takes weeks.

Key takeaways

Jute is grown in the monsoon.
Retting soaks stalks to loosen fibre.
Water quality affects fibre quality.
The work is labour-intensive.