Conversation with Mr. Gopal Saraf, Chairman, Jute Products Development & Export Promotion Council (JPDEPC).
Jute Products Development & Export Promotion Council (JPDEPC), an Industry-led body, was created under the Companies Act of 1956 with the principal purpose of giving added push to the initiatives required for taking export of Jute goods to a sustainable higher level.
Shri Gopal Saraf is the elected Chairman of the Council, represented from S L Packaging Pvt Ltd, CG-121,Ssector 2, Salt Lake City, 24 Paragons North, Pin – 700 091, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
TextilesResources.com: Bharat Tex has emerged as a single-window global platform for India’s textile ecosystem. How do you intend to position the Jute segment at the 3rd edition in 2026 so it translates visibility into measurable export orders and long-term buyer relationships?
Mr. Gopal Saraf: At the 3rd Edition, Jute Segment (mostly from Jute Diversified Products units) should be positioned in the ‘Home Textile’ category in the Bharat Tex 2026 to translate visibility into measurable export orders and long-term buyer relationship.
TextilesResources.com: Given the global shift towards sustainability, what is your strategy to promote the Jute products aligning with eco-friendly, natural and sustainable products?
Mr. Gopal Saraf: In the context of global shifting towards sustainability, Council has prepared short, medium and long term strategies to promote the Jute products aligning with eco-friendly, natural and sustainable product.
TextilesResources.com: Bharat Tex also emphasises collaboration. How do you see Jute clusters integrating with apparel, home textiles, and technical textiles for stronger value-chain linkages?
Mr. Gopal Saraf: For effective collaboration, Council suggested units of clusters should be provided with all out support for stronger value-chain linkages.
TextilesResources.com: Skills and design enhancement are major factor in the industry, what is your agenda for the same? specially for the women empowerment.
Mr. Gopal Saraf: Council has prepared detailed agenda on skills and design enhancement in the industry specially for the women empowerment
TextilesResources.com: As Chairman, what is your strategic one-line ask from the Ministry of Textiles and from international buyers to accelerate exports from the Jute sector before Bharat Tex 2026?
Mr. Gopal Saraf: As a Chairman, JPDEPC , I would suggest that a comprehensive strategies be formulated for one link from Ministry of Textiles from International buyers to accelerate export from jute sector before Bharat Tex 2026 by engaging professional consultants (both India and abroad) to chalk out long term plan to materialise the goal.
TextilesResources.com: With geopolitical shifts and tariff adjustments, what impact on the Jute industry in India and what is the way forward?
Mr. Gopal Saraf: There is a serious impact in the jute industry both in terms of exports, labour employment, future business etc. as because USA is one of the major buyers of jute goods and contribute import of 27% of total export of jute goods from India.
TextilesResources.com: What are the current statistics of Jute industry in terms of producers, production, export etc. and how you see it in next few years.
Mr. Gopal Saraf: Details as per the following
Producers: There are more than 1000 Nos manufacturers (direct involvement of mostly MSME and more than 100 Jute Mills) besides large number of jute craft and NDOs across the country.
Production: Mostly used for domestic consumption only more that 20% to 25% are exported in terms of volume- wise/value- wise.
Export: Exports of jute products are gradually increasing year to year. Export of jute goods during 2024-25 was amount to USD 384.06 Million as compared to USD 338.73 Million during 2023-24.
It seems there is huge scope of increasing export of jute goods in next few years as global demands are increased for jute products being eco-friendly and bio- degradable.
TextilesResources.com: Any message to the industry professionals and readers of TextilesResources.com?
Mr. Gopal Saraf: I would suggest all industry professionals to go through in details of problems faced by the industry as a whole and make the Government aware of the same and readers may go into details and also suggest new innovative idea.
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