Birla Jute s Profits up

THE YEAR 1965-66 was again a year of great stress and strain for the Indian jute industry, mainly due to the continued shortage and high prices of raw jute and an all-round increase in the cost of production. The indigenous jute crop was badly affected by late rains and drought in some areas. The total output for the 1965-66 season is now expected to be around 60 lakh bales against the requirement of about 85 lakh bales and the previous year's inadequate crop of about 68 lakh bales. Conditions worsened due to the Indo-Pak conflict in September 1965. as the industry receives large supplies of raw jute from Pakistan.