The union textiles ministry has clinched an export contract with the Cocoa Association of London (CAL) for packaging of cocoa products exclusively in hydrocarbon-free jute bags manufactured in India.
The contract will ensure an export demand of up to one lakh of jute bags every year for domestic manufacturers.
The CAL contract is the result of the recent visit by a delegation of jute industry representatives to cocoa producing and buying countries in west Africa and Europe as part of an export promotion tour led by Kashiram Rana, union minister for textiles.
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The delegation included government representatives such as Bimal Pande, jute commissioner, and Sanjay Kajaria, chairman of Indian Jute Mills Association.
Kajaria said Indian hydrocarbon-free jute bags are found ideal packaging material for cocoa products, confectionery and coffee globally.
The size of the initial market for cocoa products alone is 50,000 bags which could grow up to one lakh bags every year.
The CAL contract stipulates that food-grade jute bags, which is the new name coined for hydrocarbon-free jute bags, will be used for packaging of products such as cocoa, coffee and all shell nuts.
The textiles ministry-led delegation first toured cocoa producing countries in west Africa -- Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast -- where interactions took place with government representatives of the respective countries for promoting the use of jute bags in packaging cocoa products.
"The delegation travelled from Africa to Europe to meet cocoa buyers and representatives of chocolate confectionery industries," Kajaria said.
The next delegation, again led by the textiles ministry, will be visiting South America shortly to promote the use of hydrocarbon-free jute bags for packaging coffee.