Jute Corporation of India (JCI) has embarked on an ambitious project for mapping of jute cultivating areas in the country by tying up with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The pilot project taken up with the assistance of National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) named Bhuvan Jump is evoking an encouraging response to find out biomass, quality and various varieties of jute being grown in various areas.
JCI Chairman and Managing Director K.V.R. Murthy told The Hindu on Saturday that Bhuvan JUMP mobile app run on Android OS-based smartphones facilitated users to collect field data.
He said the corporation had deployed 100 employees to gather data. The data will be used for crop estimation for the year apart from providing various other useful reports.
Plastic’s alternative
Mr. Murthy said due to lack of awareness, there was not much progress on jute diversified products; people did not go for jute as an alternative to plastic and decoration purpose. Almost 85% of jute goes for gunny bags for packing of food grains and sugar.
Diversification
As part of diversification, JCI had undertaken a project under the name Sonali. He said they were entering into joint ventures and had signed MoUs with leading retail chains to meet varied requirements. He said they were marketing various products like bags, ladies purses, floor mats, curtains, carpets, hammocks, wall hangings, slippers and office and conference stationeries.
