Fiber quality of jute
The fiber quality of jute is judged by its suitability for the production of various types of yarn and its behaviour in the manufacturing process. The fibre which spins into the finest yarn is considered to be of very good quality.
The quality parameters for grading of jute fibers are:
- Length
- Luster
- Strength
- Percentage of cutting
- Colors
- Proportion of faults
Among these characters, colour, luster and strength are considered very important characters by mills. A fibre with good length and strength, fine colour and lusture and smallest percentage of cutting is called good quality of fibre.
Defects of Jute fibres:
- Cutting of fibres: It is due to the incomplete retting of the lower portion of the stems. In Nepal, on the basis of cutting percentage, jute fibres are divided into 3 categories i.e high, medium and low equaling 15, 20, 30 in capsularis and 10, 15 and 20 in olitorius.
- Dazed fibres: These fibres are caused by over retting of jute stems or ribbon or delay in the extraction of the fibres. It is also caused by the storage of fibers in the damp stage. Such fibres are inferior in strength and poor in spinning quality.
- Stiff fibres: It occurs due to incomplete retting of stems. In such case, dark strips of periderm is found to be sticking to almost entire length of the fibre making it hard and coarse.
Yield
- The national average productivity in Nepal is 1.5 t/ha.
- But it is possible to increase to 2-2.5 t/ha.
- Seed yield of 4-5 quintals/ha in white jute and 2.5-3 quintals/ha in tossa jute.