Feasibility of Diversification Strategy for Sustainable Jute Cultivation: A Study in Assam

Abstract

In the last few decades, use of jute has declined due to wider popularity of polyethylene and other synthetic packaging materials across the world. As a result there has been decline and fluctuations in the demand of raw jute and farmers are the subject of this fluctuation in India. Jute is one of the major cash crops in Assam and the state ranked third in terms of its production. However, presently Jute has become less lucrative crop in the crop portfolio of the farmers of Assam. Due to growing ecological awareness, natural fibers including jute are regaining their importance in the contemporary time. This paper tries to project diversification strategy to ensure economic sustainability of the jute growers in Assam. Constraints of the jute growers are also taken into consideration. The study is based on both primary as well as secondary data. Analysis of growers’ constraints and feasibility model are the applied outcome of the paper.