Earnings from jute and jute products climbed 24.88 percent in the July–October period of fiscal year 2026-27, reaching $346.37 million compared with $277.37 million in the same months of the previous fiscal year, according to the Export Promotion Bureau.
The rise reflects stronger global demand for natural, environmentally friendly fibre alternatives to plastic.
Raw jute posted the strongest growth, with earnings jumping 62.42 percent to $53.94 million from $33.21 million a year earlier. Jute yarn and twine, the sector’s largest export category, rose 30.68 percent to $216.54 million from $165.70 million.
Exports of sacks and bags fell to $53.43 million from $57.72 million, while earnings from other jute products edged up to $22.46 million from $20.74 million.
Growing international interest in jute for packaging, home furnishings, technical textiles and fashion has created new openings for Bangladeshi exporters. Officials also see potential in jute-stick charcoal and other diversified products.
The government is preparing a five-year Bangladesh Jute Sector Development Strategy and Action Plan for 2026–2031. Its main export target is to lift annual earnings from jute and jute goods to $1.64 billion by 2031.
Other goals include raising raw jute production from 11.5 million bales to 12 million bales a year and meeting 85–90 percent of domestic seed demand through local production. The plan aims to increase the share of value-added products from about 45 percent of total jute exports to 70 percent by 2031, with greater emphasis on geotextiles, eco-friendly packaging, home textiles and industrial goods. Implementation is expected to require investment of around Tk 4,750 crore.
Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning, said the government is extending policy support to promising export sectors such as jute alongside the readymade garment industry. He added that the goal is to turn Bangladesh into a regional hub for investment, production and exports by strengthening industrial capacity, attracting new investment and diversifying the export basket.
Md Rashedul Karim Munna, president of the Bangladesh Jute Diversified Products Manufacturers and Exporters Association, welcomed the overall rise, especially in raw jute, but noted that Bangladesh still trails in higher-value products. He said annual earnings could reach $2–3 billion with stronger capacity in product diversification and high-value manufacturing, and called for more research, product development and a specialised service centre to help entrepreneurs improve design, quality and production technology for international markets.