Cultivation of Jute Fiber

 Cultivation of Jute Fiber

Introduction:

Jute is sown from march to may according to rainfall and type of land.

It requires warm and humid conditions for growth typically temperature range of 25-40 degree celcius and humidity of 70 to 90% additionally considerable rainfall is require.

The jute plant grows to the height between 1.5 to 4.5 meter with stem diameter up to 20mm.

The soil of good depth, contacting salts from annual floods, is best for jute.

Stages of Production and Processing:

Cultivation

Harvesting

Retting

Stripping

Washing

Drying

Bailing & Packing

Storage

Cultivation:

The jute is sown in march or april and continuous till early june.

Potash, Nitrogen and Phosphrous acts as a good fertilizer for the crop.

Harvesting:

Now that the jute is cultivated it is then harvested in any time between 120 to 150 days, when the flowers have been shed. It is noted that early harvesting give good fibers. The harvested plants are kept in the field for 3 days so that the leaves are shed.

Retting:

Retting is a biological process where in the pectins(which binds the fiber) is removed. In this process the jute fibers loosened due to the decomposition of hard cell walls by the action of bacteria. During this process the bundles of fibers are steeped in water at least 60cm to 90cm depth.

Stripping( Fiber Extraction):

Stripping is the process of removing the fiber from the stalk after stripping they retted. The removal of fiber is carried out by 2methods,either by taking the single plants and their fibers are taken off or the handful of stalks are broken by giving it a too and fro motion in water.

Washing:

Once the fiber are extracted the fibers are washed in clean water. The dark color of fibers can be removed by dipping them in a remarind water for 15 to 20 min and again washed in a clean water.

Drying:

The fibers are hung on bamboo railings for them to sun dry for about 2 to 3 days. After drying, the fibers are ready to be sold in the market.

Bailing, Packing and Storage:

After the jute fibers are dried the bailing of jute fibers is done according to the grading system such as top, middle and bottom. Packing into Kutcha bales of about 250 pounds for use in mills or jute market and the bales are stored.

Application of Jute:

Generally used in various application as it is inexpensible, reasonably strong and is available in large quantities.

Socks and packing clothes

Food storage

Backing clothes for carpets

Curtain and furnishing fabric

Mixed with wool, used for inexpensible clothing

Application areas for technical textiles:

Agrotech- Canvas cloths for agricultural purpose

Buildtech- Jutes laminates

Clothtech- Jute and Jute blended fabric

Packtech- Jute bags