Jute Holds New Hope For India..
Jute is like gold to seven million farm families in India - and to the country's government. While the farmer's budget depends on a good jute crop - the fibre earns much of the foreign currency so essential for the import of machinery and other necessary items. The fibre has, up to now - been responsible for one-fifth of the country's export earnings - but with the increasing use of substitutes for packaging - the growers - mill owners - and the Government are becoming increasingly alarmed. Steps have been taken to increase the county's Jute production - improvement in methods and quality - and lowering of prices - steps which it is hoped will consolidate the fibre fr foreign use - for years to come.
Keystone Photo Shows:- After cutting the Jute plants are left in water for several weeks - for soaking - here a farmer brings soaked jute plants from the flooded field while a woman worker is separating jute from the stalk. On right background - jute stalks are stacked after jute was separated from these near Calcutta.
Photo measures 10 x 8 inches.
Photo is dated 12-12-1964.
Photo back:
