Jute

Jute is a natural fibre used for making coarse cloth, bags, sacks, and decorative items. It is classified as a cash crop because it is grown primarily for sale rather than for the farmer's own consumption.

The crop is concentrated in West Bengal and the adjoining eastern parts of the country. This regional concentration is a direct result of history: India lost large jute-growing areas to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the Partition of 1947. Despite that loss, India remains the world's leading producer today.

India produces about three-fifths (roughly 60 per cent) of the world's jute. Within India, West Bengal alone accounts for about three-fourths (roughly 75 per cent) of the national production. The other jute-growing states are Bihar and Assam. …