The Department of Food and Public Distribution, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has informed the Calcutta High Court that sugar mills and sugar industry associations are facing different challenges with jute packaging of sugar, and recommends exemptions from compulsory jute packaging for 20 per cent of the total sugar production.
The Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA), which is in favour of continued implementation of the Jute Packaging Materials Act (JPM), is expected to analyse the submission of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, and respond in the next hearing scheduled on March 4.
IJMA filed a writ petition in the High Court last year against the Union of India and its agencies, seeking strict enforcement of the JPM Act, 1987. The petition alleged massive non-compliance by sugar mills and private food grain procurers causing severe losses to the jute industry. It also alleged negligence of government agencies, including the Jute Commissioner’s Office (JCO) and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), in taking legal action against the violators.
In the latest submissions before the High Court this week, DFPD and Directorate of Sugar said that the sugar industry associations and sugar mills, in their various representations, highlighted different challenges of jute packaging of sugar. “Sugar has inherent properties that make it susceptible to moisture absorption. Jute bags have a higher tendency to attract and retain moisture, which poses a significant risk to the quality and integrity of sugar stored within these bags. Moisture can lead to the clamping and caking of sugar, rendering it unfit for human consumption,” the sugar mills said, adding also there were cases of non-acceptance of sugar packaged in jute bags by bulk consumers like Pepsi and Coke due to mixing of jute fibres in the sugar packed inside the jute bags.
It was submitted that due to lesser BIS licensed suppliers as on December 31, 2023, only three licensed suppliers of BIS standard jute bags, the jute industry was not in position to supply the huge quantity to the sugar industry. It was also submitted that about 70 per cent of total sugar production in a sugar season was consumed by bulk consumers/processors, who had shown their reluctance in procuring sugar packaged in jute bags due to quality deterioration of sugar.
“In light of the aforementioned grounds and grounds to be urged at the time of hearing, it is most humbly prayed that this Court may be pleased to dismiss the present writ appeal in the interest of justice and equity,” DFPD and Directorate of Sugar said in the submission.