The International Jute Study Group (IJSG)

The International Jute Study Group (IJSG), the legal successor to the erstwhile International Jute Organisation (IJO), was established on 27 April 2002, to administer the provisions and supervise the operations of the Agreement establishing the Terms of Reference of the International Jute Study Group, 2001. The organisation is the outcome of a series of meetings and UNCTAD conferences, which commenced in March 2000 in Geneva and concluded in April 2001 also in Geneva.

The IJSG formally entered into force on and from 27 April 2002 with the completion of the process of Definitive Acceptance/Acceptance by Governments of Bangladesh, India, Switzerland, and the European Community representing its 27 member countries and representing over 60% jute trade (import and export). [Consistent with paragraph 23(a) of the Agreement, establishing the Terms of Reference (ToR) of IJSG - UN Conference on Jute and Jute Products 2001]

Objectives

The objectives of the Group are:

(a) To provide an effective framework for international cooperation, consultation and policy development among members with regard to all relevant aspects of the world of jute economy;
(b) To promote the expansion of international trade in jute and jute products by maintaining existing markets and by developing new markets, including the introduction of new jute products and the development of new end-uses;
(c) To provide a forum for the active participation of the private sector in the development of the jute sector;
(d) To address the issues of poverty alleviation, employment and development of human resources, particularly women, in the jute sector;
(e) To facilitate the improvement of structural conditions in the jute sector through improvement of productivity and quality, and promotion of the application of new processes and technologies;
(f) To create and increase awareness of the beneficial effects of the use of jute as an environmentally friendly, renewable and biodegradable natural fibre;
(g) To improve market intelligence with a view to ensuring greater transparency in the international jute market in collaboration with other organizations, including the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO).