Packing of Foodgrains and Sugar in Plastic Bags

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Textiles

12-December-2012 18:01 IST

Government has not diluted/deserved Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987 (JPMA). As per the provisions contained in Section 4(2) of the JPMA, Government has allowed that minimum 90% of foodgrains (after providing for upfront exemption of  3.5 lakh bales) and 40% of sugar of the total production to be packed in jute packaging material during the jute year 2012-13 (July, 2012 to June, 2013).

In the meeting held on 20 June, 2012, the Standing Advisory Committee (SAC) considered various parameters prescribed in Section 4(2) of the Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987 (JPMA) and also representations from various stakeholders including Indian Jute Mills Association.  On ascertaining the factual position regarding the availability of raw jute, production capacity of the jute mills and the projected demand of the jute bags as submitted by different stakeholders in the meeting, the SAC came to the decision that there would be shortfall between the demand and supply of the jute bags and recommended some exemption from packaging in the jute bags. In fact, during current Jute Year 2012-13, there has been a cumulative shortfall of about 1.20 lakh bales of jute bags as on 30^th November, 2012 due to inadequate supply of jute bags from the mills.

Violation of Section 5 of the JPMA by 24 sugar mills has come to notice.  As per advice of Law Ministry, the concerned District Magistrates have been asked to initiate necessary action against the said defaulting sugar mills under section 9 of JPMA.

The details of default in supplying jute bags in the past ten years is as under:-

Quantity: in ‘000’ bales

This information was given by the Minister of Textiles, Shri Anand Sharma in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

DS/RK

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