Calcutta, April 5: The United Nations’ Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) has offered $2.5 million to increase the use of jute geotextiles in the country.

The Indian government will invest another $1.5 million to start a project for the development and application of geotextiles.

A diversified jute product, jute geotextile is effective in addressing soil-related problems in civil engineering.

The global initiative to find an alternative use of jute was announced by CFC’s senior project manager Sietse van der Werff at a workshop here today. The workshop was organised by Dhaka-based International Jute Study Group (IJSG) and the Jute Manufacturers Development Council.

Inaugurating the workshop, Bengal commerce minister Nirupam Sen said a Canadian company had initiated a dialogue with the state government to set up a paper plant using jute fibre.

Sudripta Roy, secretary-general of IJSG, said, “A project in Bangladesh to make paper from jute produced the finest quality paper. But it was not economically viable.’’ “However, further research may make paper manufacturing from jute an economically successful proposition,” he added.