The Jute Corporation of India, for the first time since 1997-98 when it had begun fixing support price per quintal of mesta, has steeply increased the support price for various grades of mesta from Rs. 263 to Rs. 438 per quintal.
The support price for 2016-17 has been fixed for X-bottom grade at Rs. 2,700 against Rs. 2,437 per quintal, B-bottom Rs. 2,800 (Rs.2,582), Bottom Rs. 2,900 (Rs. 2,642), middle Rs. 3,000 (Rs. 2,682), S-middle Rs. 3,100 (Rs. 2,722) and O-top Rs. 3,200 against Rs. 2,762. The millers, however, have fixed the price per quintal between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 2,600 notwithstanding grades and the growers depend more often on millers than on the JCI as they receive payment on the spot. The millers generally supply X-bottom, B-bottom and Bottom to local jute mills. The figures available with the JCI show that it had not purchased even a quintal of jute between 2007 and 2011. However, in 2012-13, the JCI had purchased 10,600 quintals out of 2.40 lakh quintals produced and 2,000 quintals out of 92,940 quintals in 2013-14. It had not lifted even one quintal in 2014-15. The season starts in September and ends by February 15.
However, as is the practice, the JCI has opened 11 purchasing centres at Gajapathiangaram, Bobbili, Parvathipuram, Makkuva, Baliipeta and Cheepurupalli in Vizianagaram district and Rajam, Ponduru, Amadalavalasa, Hiramandal and Kotabommali in Srikakulam district. The centres at Balijipeta and Bobbili had begun lifting stocks, said G. Ramana Kumar, Regional Manager of JCI. He said that the JCI had been anticipating about one lakh quintals production this year from both the districts.
