H. S. SenH. S. SenH. S. SenH. S. Sen

Quality Improvement in Quality Improvement in Jute and Kenaf FibreJute and Kenaf Fibre

Quality Improvement in Quality Improvement in Jute and Kenaf FibreJute and Kenaf Fibre

Former Director Central Research Institute for Jute & Allied Fibres

(ICAR/DARE, Government of India), Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas West Bengal, India, Pin: 700 120

(Email: hssen2000@hotmail.com, hssen@dataone.in)

It is prudent that for jute industry to survive and possibly flourish with a much brighter future it should take recourse to this non-traditional group of products which will require generally the improved quality fibres.

Commensurate with the expected rise in production of jute and kenaf by 3-4 times in 2050 of the present value there is a clear need for proportionately higher attention to non-traditional diversified products.

The manufacture of diversified jute products requires the use of best grades of raw jute in most cases, more capital investment, higher textile levels of design and market skill, more capable and focused mill management, a degree of entrepreneurship above and beyond that usually found in the traditional industry, and on the top of that, considerable R&D expenditure.

The real future, however, lies in the area of technical textiles.

Mass potential

Finest yarn, fashion products

Fine yarn, home textile clothing

Coarse yarn, carpet ropes

Filters, high-tech composites

Plant pot Geo-textile, pulp and paper

Ad

ded

val

ue

Textile products

Added value versus mass potential of bast fibre products

Textile products usually show higher mass potential and higher added value in comparison to technical applications

Packaging mat. Car interiors Composites

The real apprehension in India, Bangladesh and elsewhere is that instead of meeting the need for improved quality fibres needed for diversified applications there is possibly a decline in the trend reported.

If true, the nature and reasons behind it

We need to examine this very critically for the very survival of commodity and its stakeholders:

Measures to alleviate the constraints and future suggestions for improvement

Strength and weakness for development of improved quality fibres

Grade Grade-wise break up percentage of jute fibre

80-85 85 -90 92-97 2005

1 & 2 1.27 1.32 1.86 2.00

3 7.79 8.30 9.86 9.00

4 24.29 25.73 28.20 25.00

5 32.92 41.53 40.20 33.00

6 23.69 17.35 14.82 16.00

7 & 8 8.04 5.77 5.06 15.00

Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

Grade-wise break up percentage of jute fibre in India

Grade-wise break-up percentage of fibre in India

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1980-85 1985 -90 1992-97 2005

Plan periods

Gra

de p

erce

ntag

e1 & 2 3 4 5 6 7 & 8

No clear cut trend in the change in quality throughout last 25 years was observed. However, that there was no consistent improvement in percent quality fibre production is as such highly discouraging in view of growing demand for quality fibre production. Such quantitative observations from Bangladesh and other countries are also warranted

Technological upgradations are required for meeting the prescribed limits with consistency in quality also.

Technical processing Genetic manipulation

Cultural along with retting practices

Th

rou

gh

ThroughThrough

Areas identified in the field of improved quality raw fibre production

Development of genetic stock

Cultivated

Wild species

Direct exploration of germplasms from centres of origin

Principal approaches for

crop improvement

Somatic hybridization including protoplast manipulation

Biotechnological approaches

Tissue culture

Inter-specific hybridization

Genetic transformation

DNA fingerprinting

Need to develop

International collaboration

Adequate fundingjute genome

Development of improved crop varieties

Blending of cutting-edge technologies

Traditional approach for crop improvement programme. +

Development of transgenics&

Timely Timely availability availability

of good of good quality seeds quality seeds at affordable at affordable

priceprice

Timely Timely availability availability

of good of good quality seeds quality seeds at affordable at affordable

priceprice

Diplomatic and administrative protocol among the countries for timely distribution

Certification protocol of kenaf seedsCertification protocol of kenaf seedsCertification protocol of kenaf seedsCertification protocol of kenaf seeds

Identification of good quality seed producing areas

&

Improved retting practice - BreakthroughImproved retting practice - Breakthrough

CRIJAF has developed a new machine ‘bast fibre extractor’ run either by 1 H.P. electric motor or 1.5 H.P. Kerosene engine, portable and may easily be taken to the field for operation

Particulars Conventional method

kg/man-hour

Improved method *kg/machine-hour

Jute 5 25

Mesta 1.5 15

The retting process Whole plant Vs. machine retted fibre

Conventional vis-a-vis improved method of jute fibre extraction Particulars Conventional retting Improved retting

Source of power Manual Partly mechanical

Process involved after harvest

Canes- Defoliation, bundling,

Transport Steeping - in water,

Stripping - fibre

Machine extraction, steeping of ribbons in water

Retting duration 2 to 3 weeks 5 to 7 days

Water requirement Large volume 20 % of conventional

Drudgery Drudgery in steeping and stripping No Drudgery

Thin plants Lost during processing Salvages fibre (15 %. More)

Extraction capacity 4 to 5 kg dry fibre / man-hour 25 kg dry fibre / machine-hour

Crop harvest Availability of water regulated the time

After 100 days.any time

Time requirement 4 weeks 1 week

Quality Roots, knots and specks are present Strong,free from defects

Grade More variation Less variation

Wood stick Entire Small pieces

Extraction Uncontrolled condition Controlled condition

Need to combat weather uncertainties

Irregularity in rains

Global warming

Need for water storage

Removal of drainage congestion at critical period

Weather forecasting models

Contingency plan

Identification of appropriate variety resistant to water stress

Need to stress on good quality

fibre production in

Raw fibre production module with stress on adverse soil moisture conditions

Diversified product identification and protocol for manufacture

Quality seed production and availability

KenafKenafKenafKenaf

The improved yarns are needed to meet product

specific quality norms for the manufacture of

High quality blended apparel grade textiles, Technical, industrial and home textiles including non-woven, Automotives, Soil savers, Bio-composites, Pulp and paper, Fine chemicals, cosmetics and healthcare products, and Bio-fuels.

The manufacture of diversified jute products requires the use of best grades of raw jute in most cases.

Future technological development

Fine jute yarns with average number of fibres per cross section in the range of 50-100 and fineness 6 lb/ spy and below with tolerable loss of strength and abrasion resistance along with improvement of the physico-chemical properties, such as whiteness, light fastness, flexural rigidity, water retention value, moisture regain, extensibility and proportionate increase in alpha-cellulose content along with proportionate decrease in hemi-cellulose and lignin contents in jute and kenaf preferably using recommended chemical processes

Convertible to light, dense and strong new generation hessian fabrics for market acceptability

Quality yarns which should be cost- and quality-competitive

Proposedgrades

Existing grades

End products (tentative suggestions)

TD1/W1 1+2 Fine yarn, specialties, carpet backing cloth, items where fibre quality is important.

TD2/W2 3 Fine yarn, carpet backing cloth, fine Hessian, blended products, items where fibre quality is important.

TD3/W3 4 Hessian warp, fine Hessian, blended products, items where fibre quality is important.

TD4/W4 5 Hessian weft, sacking warp, light sacking wept, blended products.

TD5/W5 6 Ordinary sacking wept, cotton sacking, items where fineness has no impact.

TD6/W6 7+8 Poor sacking, non-woven, paper and pulp, Geo-textiles, composites, etc.

A tentative list of end products grade-wise (in India)

Need for internationalizing grading criteria

Technical yarns Mechanicalbondednon-wovens

Various fields ofapplication asreinforcing fibre

Friction linings Paper production

Fibre lengthmean fibre

length50-100 mmCV H< 70%

Finenessmean fineness5-20 dtex or20-86 μm

Fibre lengthmean fibre length20-70 mmCV H50 %

Finenessmean fineness5 dtex or20 μmFibre-Fibre- adhesionhigh

Fibre tenacitytensile strength700 -1100 N/mm²or 47-73 cN/texelongation2 %E-modulus40-70 kN/mm²Fibre lengthmean fibre length3-25 mm/ 25 mmshort fibre length10 %Finenessmean fineness3-17 dtex or 10-74μmFibre-Fibre-adhesionzeroTrashalmost free of dustand wood

Fibre lengthmean fibre length0,1-10 mmCV H50%Finenessmean fineness10-20 μmDensity1,4-1,5 g/cm³Surface area1500-10000 cm²/gMoisture8-10%Flash point300-600° C

Fibre lengthmean fibre length4 mmLong fibre length8 mmshort fibre length1 mmImpuritiestrash contents10%fibre fragments10%

Each country has now its’ own grading criteria, so there is a need to internationalize them for transparency and promotion. Suggested fibre properties for technical applications taking cue from cotton and wool, as below

“Better price for better grades” is the key for price protection to the farmers.

Government should devise policies and norms

Government should ensure collection mechanism through a transparent arrangement with the farmers and other stakeholders

Role of agro-retail majors are also very important in this respect

Adequate arrangement for storage and distribution

Government should ensure warehouses for appropriate storage for reasonable time and support mechanisms for distribution

Training of farmers and other stakeholders for fibre grading mechanism and ensure appropriate pricing

Government and the agro-retail majors have major roles in this respect

In the raw jute fibre trade, agro-retail majors can be a powerful adjunct to the activities of the government procurement agencies and as well be a strong link between raw jute farmers and jute industry, and finally between farmers and R & D organizations

Countries other than India, Bangladesh and China

adequate campaign in the society on the ecological benefit of the use of jute and kenaf

arrangements for training and incentives for production of value-added goods

Do not appear to have adequate and well planned diversification programme

They should put thrust on diversification apart from the production programme of raw fibre itself

Role of unorganized sector in large number for diversified product development

Their role, strength and weakness should be documented

To be given support to increase their capability through funding, training and infrastructural development

They are in very large in number in each country catering to the demand of diversified goods very significantly without any record or documentation

The focus is to concentrate increasingly more in a phased manner for production of the value-added diversified products

for inroads into the market.

Defining ‘benchmarks’

for each component of

the quality profile

Goals for the Industry

Meeting consumer

s’ perceptio

n and value

Manufacturing jute

products to substitute existing

fibre products

Defining objectively the ‘quality profile’ as product

specificities

Need for modernizati

on with strict

quality control

Lack of coordination between raw fibre production and technology development R&D agencies.

As a result, raw fibre agency remains unaware of technological needs of the industry and vice versa, and thus the

specific targets of one another.

Need for a Road Map for the future

Each country should have a clear road map for diversified goods production phase wise for the next 20-25 years

Grade wise fibre production schedules should be accordingly worked out

backwards and the same implemented to meet the goals through appropriate synergy between government (policy makers), industry, R&D units, and the

farmers

In the interest of these countries, the commodity and its stakeholders an understanding at the international level among these countries should arrived at to apportion the product target areas, as per their capabilities and interest, strength and weakness, and allow free exchange of germplasm along with arrangements for frequent interaction to share the views on technological upgradations.

A “Jute Cartel” be formed for mutual benefit to each –

legal, political and administrative implications of

which may be discussed in details

Countries growing jute and kenaf are limited in number although farmers and related stakeholders are disproportionately large in number with restricted size and holding and thus the capacity of each unit. At the same time the industry is confronted with steep challenge increasingly more with time from synthetics.

Need for a “JUTE CARTEL”

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