Calling on the concerned people to develop markets for jute and jute products,Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the resources can be best utilized by enhancing exports.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of an international seminar on"High-yielding jute and seed production"at Dhaka,she assured that her Government would continue with its efforts to aid research to develop high-yielding jute varieties.
Terming jute's genome structure research as a'milestone'in the agricultural research,she mentioned that the country's scientists have unearthed the mystifying lifecycle of jute's dangerous fungus.
She noted that popularity of eco-friendly jute items is increasing,and at the same time global jute demand is also on a rise,and so is Bangladesh's jute production.
She noted that use of high-tech technology,high-yielding seeds and improved production techniques,evolved by the Bangladesh Jute Research Council,have boosted Bangladesh's jute output by 3.18 percent,while the average yield has gone up by 12.5 percent.
As world's second largest producer of raw jute,Bangladesh exports around 90 percent of its raw jute produce and 60 percent of domestically prepared jute goods to over 100 countries.During last fiscal,Bangladesh earned about Tk 200 million from the jute sector,Ms.Hasina said.
She even corroborated her Government's efforts to restart Sirajganj's Jatiya Jute mill,also called Quomi Jute mill,and Khalishpur Jute mill,called People's Jute mill,and added that trial productions are also being undertaken at three more jute mills,which would soon start commercial operations.
Highlighting agricultural research as a key area for her Government,she noted that her Government is the first one to allocate funds for research in this area.As against previous zero allocations,her Government has allocated Tk 120 million for the same,she added.
She expressed hope that the Agriculture Research Council Act 2012 would prove advantageous in the Government's efforts to boost the country's jute sector.
