Kolkata, Nov 11 (PTI) West Bengal government on Thursday assessed raw jute stock in the state and directed the Enforcement Branch to carry out a massive de-hoarding drive, IJMA official said.

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The state government has ensured measures for assured availability of raw jute to the mills to meet the demand of jute bags for foodgrain packaging, the official told PTI.

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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also taking stock of the situation so that the industry does not face any problem, the official said.

An anti-hoarding drive was carried out in some districts on Wednesday following complaints by jute mills that traders are stashing raw jute expecting a rerun of the 50 per cent jump in the commodity due to production shortage.

Raw jute price is ruling very high this year despite a bumper crop and in the wake of this the jute commisioner (JC) fixed the price of the golden fibre at Rs 6500 per quintal.

The state labour department in its note apprehended that if there was dilution in the mandatory packaging act there will be catastrophic repercussion on the jute industry in West Bengal, which employs 2.5 lakh workers and involves approximately 40 lakh jute farmers.

Centre has retained jute bag packaging 100 per cent for foodgrain and 20 per cent for sugar for the current 2021-22 crop season.

The JC has fixed optimum raw jute holding to 1500 quintals for balers, 300 quintals for other traders registered with it and 500 kg for others. It has allowed jute mills to stock raw jute equivalent to their average production of six weeks.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)