Can you make money Farming Jute Mallow (Mrenda) in Kenya?
Long overlooked, indigenous greens are now capturing global attention for their nutritional and environmental benefits.
The jute crop is an annual herbaceous plant that is cultivated for its fiber. Jute fiber is used to make a variety of products, including burlap sacks, twine, and carpet backing. Jute is a versatile crop and can be grown in a variety of climates. It is a rain-fed crop and does not require irrigation. Jute can also be grown on marginal lands, making it an ideal crop for countries with limited resources.
Distribution: Jute is an important industrial crop in Bangladesh. Bangladesh ranks second among the jute growing countries. Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan are the most important producers of jute fiber in the world.
Economic Importance: It is grown primarily for its fiber which has large commercial importance in the world. Fine quality fiber is used for the manufacturers of different value-added products such as household, textiles, industrial textiles, reinforced plastics, handicrafts, paper, pulp, geotextiles, etc. It has been proved that fabrics from jute fiber of all designs and patterns could be woven of the automatic loom and the products would be smooth as those made of cotton. These products are emerging as major foreign exchange-earners.
Variety: Two cultivated species namely White (Corchorus capsularis L.) and Tossa (Corchorus olitorius L.) jute are grown.
White jute:
- CC-45, CVE-3, C-6 (Early variety).
- CVL-1, D-154, BJC-83, BJC-8370 (Late variety).
- Tossa jute: 0-9897, BJRI Tossa pat 4, BJRI Tossa pat5 etc.
- BINA variety: Atom pat38, BINA deshi pat 2, BINA patshak1.
Jute Crop Cultivation
Climate: Jute requires a warm and humid climate with temperatures fluctuating between 24 C and 37 C. The permissible relative humidity favorable to growth ranges between 7090 %. Rainfall is one of the most important factors for growing jute and the ranges from 250-270 mm are essential requisite for good growth and yield of jute.
Soil: Jute is widely grown in sandy loams, clay loams with varying soil management practices. Sandy soils and heavy clay soil are unsuitable for jute production. Soil with a low pH gives a poor crop. The optimum pH is around 6.4. High and medium high land where rain and floodwater do not stand is suitable for Jute mallow or nalta jute or tossa jute cultivation. In the seedling stage, water logging is not tolerated by both species.
Land Preparation: 5-6 deep plowing and cross plowing followed by laddering with clod-free fine tilth condition. Soil moisture 2145 % is ideal for germination.
Seed Rate (According BARC)
A. Broadcast method
- C. capsularis (white): 7 – 8 kg/ha. • C. olitorius (tossa): 5 – 6 kg/ha.
B. Line sowing method
- C. capsularis (white): 5 – 6 kg/ha. • C. olitorius (tossa): 3 – 4 kg/ha.
Seed Treatment: Seed treatment with Vitavax200 (0.4%) i.e. for 1 kg of seed with 4 gm Vitavax200 or Provax200 (0.4%) before sowing of seeds or preservation of seed is very useful to control all fungal seed-borne diseases of jute.
Time of sowing
- White jute: Late February – April.
- Tossa jute: 15 March – April.
- For seed production, the suitable time for seed sowing/ cutting is mid-July – the last week of August.
- Sowing time varies 15-30 days from North to South.
Sowing methods: The traditional method of sowing of jute by broadcasting. For even distribution of seeds, it is mixed with loose soil because the seeds are very small. For still better results, it is advisable to broadcast the seeds cross-wise. Line sowing is also done.
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