The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for mandatory packaging of foodgrains and sugar in the jute material for the Jute Year 2017-18. <br/><br/>The decision would sustain the core demand for the jute sector and support the livelihood of the workers and farmers dependent on the sector. <br/><br/>The Jute Year 2017-18 period is from 1st July 2017 to 30th June, 2018. The CCEA has extended the mandatory packaging norms under the Jute Packaging Material (JPM) Act, 1987. <br/><br/>The approval mandates that 90 percent of the food grains and 20 percent of the sugar products will be mandatorily packed in jute bags. <br/><br/>The decision will benefit farmers and workers located in the Eastern and North Eastern regions of the country particularly in West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura. <br/><br/>Jute industry is predominantly dependent on Government sector which purchases jute products more than 5,500 rupees crore every year. <br/><br/>Considering that nearly 3.7 lakh workers and approximately 40 lakh farmers are dependent for their livelihood on the jute sectors, the government has been making concerted efforts for the development of jute sector.