Date:13/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/13/stories/2008081354070300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Collector promises to promote jute park

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: Collector B. Kishore, in his brief address, after inaugurating the jute awareness camp here on Tuesday assured Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of APJDC B.V. Rama Rao of all assistance for the promotion jute park and asked the Joint Director (Agriculture), the General Manager, District Industries Centre and the Assistant Director (Handlooms and Textiles) to form a committee for marketing of jute products and infrastructure facilities. The A.P. Jute Development Centre Limited organised the awareness camp.

Demand abroad

Mr. Rama Rao said with the setting up of the park dependence of farmers on middlemen for marketing mesta could be checked. He said that the APJDC sub-centres would be opened in each district to create awareness among growers, traders and entrepreneurs. Stating that there was great demand for fine jute yarn products abroad, he said that the State was having the potential to export Rs.400-crore worth goods every year.

The APJDC would provide six months training in the production of jute diversified products to prospective entrepreneurs and facilitate financial assistance through banks, supply of raw material and marketing of finished products both in India and abroad.

Mr. Rama Rao said that the jute park had a potential to create direct and indirect employment to nearly 20,000 persons. It would also encourage cultivation of mesta as the crop area now in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts was depleting due to various reasons.