Panaji, Nov 4 (IANS) The Jute Manufacturers Development Council (JMDC) is looking at Goa, a tourist destination that attracts many foreigners every year, as a potential market to sell its products, and plans to open stalls across the state.

‘The tourism-oriented state will provide high level exposure to new diversified jute products like jute apparels and handicrafts,’ JMDC secretary Atri Bhattacharya told reporters here after launching a week-long jute promotional campaign.

The programme, billed as ‘Goa Jute Week’, will comprise roadshows and buyers-sellers meets and seek to promote diversified jute products in the state.

‘Just today (Wednesday) we gave out free jute bags to foreign tourists. The response was exciting. We are also setting up stalls all over the tourist hubs in Goa,’ Bhattacharya said.

India accounts for 70 percent of the world’s total production of jute. The country has been averaging a production of 1.6 million tones of per annum in the last five years with a domestic market of 1.4 million tonnes.

‘While our total turnover is Rs.5,500 tonnes, our export component accounts for about Rs 1,200 crore,’ Bhattacharya said.

‘While the US and European Union countries are major export destinations for Indian jute products, jute bags for packing cocoa and coffee are sought after in Africa.’

Turkey and Belgium also import the fibre for manufacturing carpets and South America is another emerging market, he added.

According to Bhattacharya, emerging technologies have brought about radical changes in the usage of the jute.

‘Even leading car manufacturers have begun using jute fibre to make car panelling. We have noticed that wherever toxic and plastic is cracked down upon by the authorities, jute products slowly take over,’ he noted.