Chapter IV: Assorting and Baling Jute Fibre

The Indian raw jute trade is conducted under various conditions. The method of marketing may be of such a nature that the farmers in some districts may have to make a rough assortment of the fibre into a number of qualities or grades, and these grades are well known in the particular areas; on the other hand, the farmers may prefer to sell the total yield of fibre at an overhead price per maund. A maund is approximately equal to 8 lbs., and this quantity forms a comparatively small bundle. In other cases, the fibre is made up into what is known as a "drum"; this is a hand-packed bale of from 1 1/2 to 3 or 3 1/2 maunds; it is a very convenient size for transit in India.

Practically one half of the total jute crop, of 9 to 10 million bales of 400 lbs. each, is used in India, and the remaining half is baled for export to the various parts of the world; a little over one million bales are exported annually to Great Britain, the bulk of this fibre comes to Dundee.

It is practically impossible for foreign purchasers to see the material at the assorting stations, but the standardized method of assorting and grading enables a purchaser to form a very good idea of the quality of the fibre, and its suitability or otherwise for special types of yarn and cloth. Thus, a form of selecting and grading has been established on a basis that provides a very large amount of jute each year of a quality which is known as "a first mark." A mark, in general, in reference to fibre, is simply some symbol, name, letter, monogram or the like, or a combination of two or more, oft-times with reference to some colour, to distinguish the origin of the fibre, the baler, or the merchant.

In normal years there is also a large quantity of fibre of a better quality than what is known as "first mark," and this better quality is termed "fine jute"; while there is yet a further lot, the quality of which is below these good ones. Since there are hundreds of different marks which are of value only to those connected directly with the trade, it is unnecessary to dwell on the subject. The following list, however, shows quotations of various kinds, and is taken from the Market Report of the Dundee Advertiser of March, 1920. The price of jute, like almost everything else, was at this date very high, so in order to make comparisons with the 1920 and normal prices, we introduce the prices for the corresponding grade, first marks, for the same month in the years 1915 onwards.

JUTE PRICES, IN MARCH
First Marks

Year. Price per ton.

£. s. d. £. s. d.
1915 27 to 35 15
1916 44
1917 42 10
1918 51
1919 49
1920 70 (spot)

It is necessary to state that the assorting and balings are generally so uniform that the trade can be conducted quite satisfactorily with the aid of the usual safeguards under contract, and guarantees regarding the properties of the fibre.

After these assorting operations are completed, the jute fibre is made up into bundles or "bojahs" of 200 lbs. each, and two of these 200 lb. bundles are subsequently made up into a standard bale, the weight of which is 400 lbs. This weight includes a permitted quantity of binding rope, up to 6 lbs. in weight, while the dimensions in the baling press of the 400 lb. bale are 4'1" X 1'6" X 1' 4".

Large quantities of the smaller and loosely-packed bales are conveyed from the various places by boats to the baling houses or press houses as they are termed. These are very large establishments, and huge staffs of operatives are necessary to deal rapidly and efficiently with the large number of bales. In Fig. 4 scores of natives, superintended by a European, are seen carrying the smaller bales on their heads from the river boat to the press house. It is, of course, unnecessary to make the solid 400 lb. bales for Indian consumption; this practice is usually observed only for jute which is to be exported, and all such bales are weighed and measured at the baling station by a Chamber of Commerce expert.

Most of the baling presses used in the press houses in the Calcutta district are made in Liverpool, and are provided with the most efficient type of pumps and mechanical parts. Fig. 5 illustrates one of these huge presses with a number of natives in close proximity. Two or three distinct operations are conducted simultaneously by different groups of operatives, and ingenious mechanism is essential for the successful prosecution of the work. Two such presses as that illustrated in Fig. 5 are capable, under efficient administration, of turning out 130 bales of 400 lbs. each in one hour. The fibre is compressed into comparatively small bulk by hydraulic pressure equal to 6,000 lbs. per square inch, and no packed bale must exceed in cubical capacity 11 cubic feet after it leaves the press; it is usual for freight purposes to reckon 5 bales or 55 cubic feet per ton. (Now changed to 50 cubic feet.)

The jute bales are loaded either at the wharf or in the river from barges into large steamers, many of which carry from 30,000 to 46,000 bales in one cargo to the European ports. One vessel brought 70,000 bales.

As already mentioned, jute is sold under guarantees as to quality, and all disputes must be settled by arbitration. Although this is the usual method of sale, it is not uncommon for quantities of jute to be shipped unsold, and such quantities may be disposed of on the "Spot." It is a common practice to sell a number of bales to sample, such number depending generally upon the extent of the quantity, or "parcel," as it is often called. The contract forms are very complete, and enable the business to be conducted to the satisfaction of all concerned in the trade.

It will be understood that, in the yearly production of such a large quantity of jute fibre from various districts, and obtained from plants which have been grown under variable climatic and agricultural conditions, in some cases the fibre will be of the finest type procurable, while in other cases it will be of a very indifferent type and unsuitable for use in the production of the ordinary classes of yarns and fabrics. On the other hand, it should be stated that there is such a wide range of goods manufactured, and additional varieties occasionally introduced, that it appears possible to utilize all the kinds of fibre in any year; indeed, it seems as if the available types of fibre each season create demands for a corresponding type of manufactured product.

The crops produced will, obviously, vary in amount and value annually, but a few figures will help the reader to estimate in some degree the extent of the industry and its development in various parts of the world.

EXPORTS OF JUTE FROM INDIA

Year. Tons. Bales.

1828 18 300 lbs/bale
1832 182 300 lbs/bale
1833 300 300 lbs/bale
1834 828 300 lbs/bale
1835 1,222 300 lbs/bale
1836 16 300 lbs/bale
1837 171 300 lbs/bale

JUTE PRODUCTION IN INDIA

Season. Tons. Bales (400 lbs.).

1850-51. 28,247 158,183
1860-61. 46,182 258,619
1862-63. 108,776 609,146
1863-64. 125,903 707,056
1872-73. 406,335 2,275,476
1880-81. 343,596 1,924,137
1886-87. 413,664 2,316,518
1892-93. 586,258 3,083,023
1896-97. 588,141 3,293,591
1902-03. 580,967 3,253,414
1906-07. 829,273 4,643,929
1907-08. 1,761,982 9,867,100
1908-09. 1,135,856 6,360,800
1909-10. 1,302,782 7,295,580
1910-11 1,434,286 8,032,000
1911-12. 1,488,339 8,334,700
1912-13. 1,718,180 9,621,829
1913-14. 1,580,674 8,851,775
1914-15. 1,898,483 10,631,505
1915-16. 1,344,417 7,528,733
1916-17. 1,493,976 8,366,266
1917-18. 1,607,922 9,004,364
1918-19. 1,278,425 7,159,180
1919-20. 1,542,178 8,636,200

A large vessel containing bales of jute is berthed on the quay-side adjoining the jute sheds in Fig. 6. The bales are raised quickly from the hold by means of a hydraulic-engine, scarcely visible in Fig. 6 since it is at the far end of the vessel, but seen clearly in Fig. 7. When the bales are raised sufficiently high, they are guided to the comparatively steep part of a chute from which they descend to the more horizontal part as exemplified in Fig. 7. They are then removed by means of hand-carts as shown, taken into the shed, and piled or stored in some suitable arrangement with or without the aid of a crane. Motor and other lorries are then used to convey the bales to the various mills where the first actual process in what is termed spinning takes place. It will be understood that the bales are stored in the spinner's own stores after having been delivered as stated.